The Recruiting Edge

Guerilla Recruiting Strategies and Methodologies

2009-04-11T05:51:00.006-05:00

I belong to several social networks and also run a couple. More and more I notice membership increasing with more and more members from around the world. This morning I came across one such "new" member in one of my networksoffering a link to his blog. The information sounded interesting, so off I went. And here's some of his advice that I found:

"Guerilla recruiting is not for the faint of heart or those not adept at dealing with corporate politics. Guerilla recruiting is about hiring to hurt, about knowingly and purposely inflecting harm on a competitor's ability to do business. Therefore, the primary action that must be taken when building a guerilla recruiting force is to recognize the political nature of the activity and make sure that everyone involved can stomach the gore that will ensue until victory is reached." ~Balaji Govindarajan, India
To read Balaji's entire post on guerilla tactics in recruiting go here.

That aside, what do you think about this? Do you think America can continue to compete in a flattened world with tactics like these? Do you think the word "competition" in America is vilified and, as a result, gone “soft”?

“Competition is the keen cutting edge of business, always shaving away at costs.” ~ Henry Ford.

What Is a Man?

2009-04-11T04:08:00.003-05:00

A man is good at his job. Not his work, not his avocation, not his hobby. Not his career. His job. It doesn't matter what his job is, because if a man doesn't like his job, he gets a new one.
You might enjoy this; here.

China's birth limits create dangerous gender gap

2009-04-10T11:47:00.002-05:00

China has 32 million more young men than young women — a gender gap that could lead to increasing crime — because parents facing strict birth limits abort female fetuses to have a son, a study released Friday said. More here.
******
What did they think would happen? Or were they thinking?

Are jobs the new assets?

2009-04-10T04:59:00.003-05:00

John Sumser seems to think so, here. And a couple recent discussions in the Recruitosphere seem to hint at it.
What do you think? Will job holders come to view their jobs as "assets"?
Will this make them more willing to "invest" in themselves to maintain and improve that "asset" value?
What forms will that "investment" take?
What will the new employment landscape look like? Or will there be a new employment landscape?
******
Things are picking up! Soon you may not have time to phone source to fill your hard-to-fill positions. When that happy event happens in your world, call the phone sourcing experts at TechTrak 513 899 9628

Character

2009-04-10T04:11:00.007-05:00

How is "character" built? Can it be developed or is it something one is "born with"? What part does it play in our daily lives?
Open LinkedIn question with some interesting answers here.

Job Promotions Unhealthy, Study Finds

2009-04-10T03:28:00.003-05:00

While some 13 million Americans are out of work these days, those still with jobs might have a strange new thing to worry about - getting a promotion can be bad for you, a new study suggests. British researchers found that when people get promoted, they suffer on average about 10 percent more mental strain and are less likely to find the time to go to the doctor.

Other research has found stress can be deadly, raising the risk of everything from the common cold to cancer. Other recent revelations about stress:
Stress makes us forget things.
Happily married women suffer less stress.
Job stress in particular has been shown to fuel disease.
More here.

Company Names - the Skinny?

2009-04-09T13:05:00.004-05:00

I see all sorts of interesting-sounding company names that readers belong to/own. If you have a history behind your company's name, I'd be interested in hearing about it!

Mine? TechTrak - we got started sourcing in the mid-90s during the height of the boom in Silicon Valley and we were sourcing a lot, (I mean a lot!) of technical titles. After the bust, we segued into just about every other industry out there - and that's where we are today - telephone sourcing across a broad spectrum. I thought a while back about changing the name to reflect that - asked for advice in the cloud - heard a resounding "no way!" (but you might consider updating your website) they told me. So we did that instead and kept the name.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. What's yours?

By the way, Bryan Chaney is responsible for the new look of our website. If you like what you see and want to contact Bryan about yours, here's his email:
bchaney@reachingtalent.com

Half of Workers Who Were Laid Off in the Last Three Months Found Jobs

2009-04-09T08:27:00.002-05:00

Despite it being one of the most challenging hiring environments in the nation's history, 41 percent of workers who were laid off from full-time jobs in the last three months reported they found a new full-time, permanent position while another 8 percent found part-time work. This is according to a survey from CareerBuilder that included 807 workers who were laid off from full-time jobs within the last 12 months. The survey was conducted between February 20 and March 11, 2009.

Workers reported taking pay reductions and adjusting hours to keep a steady paycheck. Nearly half of workers (49 percent) who were laid off in the last 12 months and landed new positions took a job with less pay; 15 percent were able to negotiate higher compensation. One-in-five (20 percent) took a job with less hours while 12 percent took on more hours.More here.
Sign-up may be required - it's FREE and easy!

Facebook Update

2009-04-08T12:25:00.002-05:00

Growth
More than 200 million active users
More than 100 million users log on to Facebook at least once each day
More than two-thirds of Facebook users are outside of college
The fastest growing demographic is those 35 years old and older
More Facebook update.

Layoffs not an option for some businesses

2009-04-08T07:59:00.002-05:00

Revenue may be down and the pressure to slash costs intense, but some companies say job cuts are not an option.

Companies that have avoided layoffs amid this recession are the exception, not the rule. Employers have cut 5.1 million jobs since the recession began, including 663,000 last month alone. But some are looking to shave costs while keeping their work forces intact, so that when the economy does turn around, they'll be ready to ratchet up production again.

Economists say that's a wise move. More here.

Putting a Price on Social Connections

2009-04-08T07:44:00.003-05:00

Researchers at IBM and MIT have found that certain e-mail connections and patterns at work correlate with higher revenue production.

The results represent an early attempt to understand the value of the broadening variety of personal connections afforded by the Web. Users of social media rack up LinkedIn contacts, Facebook friends, and Twitter followers by the hundreds, if not thousands. But figuring out how big a difference all those contacts make in a person's life, financial or otherwise, is a far murkier matter.

That's why leading tech companies, including IBM, Microsoft (MSFT), and Yahoo! (YHOO), are hiring economists, anthropologists, and other social scientists to map and classify new types of friendships—and put a value on them. More here.

Some job seekers invest in plastic surgery to compete

2009-04-08T05:02:00.002-05:00

When the going gets tough, some of the tough get going to the plastic surgeon's office. The recession clearly took a cut out of plastic surgery in 2008 with U.S. cosmetic surgeries down 9 percent to $11.8 billion, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

But some surgeons and patients are now citing increased interest in surgery among people wanting to look younger and "fresher" for the ever-competitive job market.

"I'm 56 and I've been in the music business for 35 years. We're not having a good year and I know I'll soon have to interview," said Jeff Grabow, a music marketing executive in Los Angeles, who recently spent $17,000 on a facelift. More here.

Wanna be a billionaire?

2009-04-07T03:49:00.003-05:00

Some of the most common professions among the parents of American billionaires (for whom we could find the information) were engineer, accountant and small-business owner. More here.

Good News?

2009-04-06T07:45:00.002-05:00

RESTON, Va. – Sallie Mae says it will be bringing 2,000 jobs to the U.S. within the next 18 months as it shifts call center and other operations from overseas. More here.

How do our interests shape our work?

2009-04-06T04:05:00.004-05:00

I asked the following question on LinkedIn:
I was watching a Smithsonian piece on Eudora Welty's early photography and how it informed her writing. It got me to thinking about what informs my work. What about you? What informs your work?

One of the answers remarks:
"Artists best illustrate 'what informs their work' and the streams of influences, which allow them to create beyond delivering a product to 'sell' on the market. For example, Picasso acts as a conduit not just for his uncanny ability to see but to redefine the perception of painting by drawing on interests, which at one level have nothing to do with painting such as mosaics or bull fighting. Great minds in business and thought leadership do likewise, which is why they serve as templates and inspiration for others to examine not just what informs their work, but what work gives depth and meaning to their lives." ~ Andrew Scharf

How does your perception refine/define your work? What interests do you draw on that may have "nothing" to do with your "work"? The same author above hints enticingly at a subject when he declares, in another part of his answer, "...not everyone has discovered or will discover what this means" when referring to what experiences drive an individual. What do you think he means? Read the original question and other answers here.

You ain't lived 'less you been flagged...

2009-04-04T06:19:00.003-05:00

Interesting discussion on free speech
and flagging on LinkedIn here.

Fishing in a Small Pond

2009-04-04T05:41:00.004-05:00

I asked the crowd what the heck telephone sourcing meant to them, anyway. Some interesting answers are coming back, here.
Aproximately 2.3% of the US labor force use LinkedIn, and of those less than 1% has more than 500 connections. That's not a whole lot of coverage. When you consider the large percentage of LinkedIn members who are in HR and Staffing (over 810,000), you get a feeling there’s a lot of people fishing in a small pond, not unlike the experience of trolling solely with Monster, CareerBuilder, or Hotjobs. ~ Steve Delaney, here

MagicMethod News

2009-04-03T07:45:00.000-05:00

Tuesday’s MagicMethod Phone Sourcing Class Chat suffered from some of ning’s most recent changes but we got partially way in before the lights went out! RyanHaire and Celiaten were able to give us a partial glimpse into how they build company directories. You can read through the first twenty or so minutes of the Class Log here.

There's some great new content posted on the MagicMethod site that you might find interesting. Among it:

Recruiting on Twitter
Animal rocked the house out on his April Fool’s Day show!

What is telephone names sourcing exactly?
Let’s get it down right once-and-for-all!

119 quick cheat sheets for some of the most widely used tools on the web
Courtesy Dorothy Beach on Twitter

Recruitment Businesses Looking to Sell?
Interesting new section in a UK newsletter

Direct-Dial Directories: How to Research Staff via Phone Numbers
Didn’t think you could do that? You can!

MagicMethod Phone Sourcing Classroom Chat Log Tuesday, March 31, 2009
It was short but sweet.

How to Get a Job When No One's Hiring
Good advice

Branding Yourself Whether You Want To or Not
Someone (thing) will do it if you don’t!

Directory of Corporate Archives
FREE info source

Visit today and add your thoughts to the discussions. I look forward to seeing you in there!

Maureen

Recruiting on Twitter

2009-04-03T05:59:00.004-05:00

The Recruiting Animal's done it again! Proclaimed by most, his Wednesday, April 1 show was no April Fool's! Hear it here.

FYI, if you haven't heard the 18 minute version of this, you should check it out. Animal did an amazing job of capturing the high points and creating a solid tutorial on Twitter searching. Thanks again to Animal and everyone who participated in this. ~ Craig Fisher

What is telephone names sourcing exactly?

2009-04-02T12:54:00.003-05:00

There's an excited string going on over on ERE, in fact some are so anxious to say what they need to say they're saying it twice (and three, and four and five) times!

It seems to boil down to what is telephone names sourcing exactly? Is it "garbage" as one claimant seems to state? Is it the build-out of a company's telephone directory without refinement on titles? Is it a product that is a "cut and paste from LinkedIn along with an Excel spreadsheet exported from Broadlook Diver" as another reported? Is it ruse calling? What is it exactly? Here's what I think it is, and this is taken partially from the first module of my MagicMethod telephone names sourcing training.

Names Sourcing is a little understood activity. Simply put, it’s the skillful finding of people who hold specific titles (usually) within (usually) specific organizations so that you, as a recruiter, may contact them and offer them your opportunity. It can be performed in two ways: by using the Internet or by using the Telephone. The use of the latter is many times preceded by the use of the Internet but the use of the Internet is not often followed by the use of the Telephone.

And that, my friends, is what causes so much confusion (and, apparently now, angst) in the profession. That is also the reason there is so much difference in quality of the products being presented today. By the way, TRUE telephone sourcing IS NOT finding the name on the Internet and then calling to see if the guy's "still there" and even if his title is "still the same" as it was when it was placed on the Internet. It's maybe "adding value" if you get the guy's email or direct dial for your customer but it's not really true telephone names sourcing.

TRUE telephone names sourcing is when you call into a company - maybe you have a few names to get yourself started on the inside - and you find out who the players are cocooned inside that organization. MOST of the names you bring out will not and cannot be found on the Internet because you know why? They're NOT ON THE INTERNET in any capacity that would allow you to put their information together in any way that will quickly sort out and help to fill your open requirement.

That's what I think it is. What do you think it is?

11 Most Overlooked Tax Deductions

2009-04-01T06:15:00.003-05:00

Every year, the IRS dutifully reports the most common blunders taxpayers make on their returns. And every year, at or near the top of the "oops" list is forgetting to enter a Social Security number or making a mistake when entering those nine digits at the top of the tax form.You can read all the mistakes here.

Bankruptcy sure ain't what it used to be...

2009-03-31T11:43:00.003-05:00

The embattled Atlanta Falcons quarterback is hoping to earn as much as $10 million a year or more, according to court filings in his bankruptcy case. Under the plan he submitted to the court, Vick would keep the first $750,000 of his annual income over the next five years. After that, a percentage would go to his creditors based on a sliding scale. [...]
I wonder what that "sliding scale" is. Story here.

Monster: Free at Last!

2009-03-31T10:10:00.003-05:00

Free at Last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, it's FREE at last!

A coupla' months ago a recruiter I know asked Monster if he could trial their service for free for a day to see what it was like.

They said "NO WAY!"

TODAY he received an e-mail from Monster telling him they'd be DELIGHTED to have him trial their service for FREE for TWO days!

See what comes to those who wait?

Branding Yourself Whether You Want To or Not

2009-03-31T06:17:00.005-05:00

"The reality is, many of us may not have the option of staying in a company, unbranded. We have to create our own job security, and branding is part of that. ~ Alina Tugend
More here.

Direct-Dial Directories: How to Research Staff via Phone Numbers

2009-03-31T05:22:00.002-05:00

Tricks of the Trade
ERE Article: Direct-Dial Directories: How to Research Staff via Phone Numbers

THAT will be our MagicMethod Phone Sourcing class subject today (T, Mar 31) - how to "listen" for (and interpret) the nuances in research like that. Read the article (it's short!) and then come to class at noon EST at to discuss the variegated ways building out a company's phone directory can benefit you!
~ Maureen
“All meanings, we know, depend on the key of interpretation.” ~ George Eliot

Happy Birthday Steve Levy!

2009-03-31T04:38:00.003-05:00

Don't you just wish?
;)

Big Recession Winners

2009-03-30T12:10:00.002-05:00

"...a handful of industries, companies, and products are doing well—relatively speaking. They run the gamut from Quarter Pounders to contraceptives, but they share a key component: Whether they help people pivot to new careers, cut costs at home, or simply escape from all the bad news, they're poised not only to weather the economic storm but to, in some way, benefit from it." Here.

"LinkedIn Connections" on Hoovers?

2009-03-30T09:42:00.002-05:00

I just noticed on my Hoovers account when I do a company look-up there's now a "LinkedIn Connections" box (coincidentally is non-copyable) that links you to employee profiles (that I am "connected" with) at the company being researched. Is this new? What is it? Some kind of partnership between Hoovers and LI?
LinkedIn Corporation
2029 Stierlin Ct.
Mountain View, CA 94043 United States
Phone: 650-687-3600
Fax: 650-687-0505
www.linkedin.com
Feeling a bit disconnected? LinkedIn wants to help. The company is an online business network designed to help professionals find jobs, people, and services providers. The company has grown to reach more than 20 million users nationwide since its inception in 2003. LinkedIn is free to join; it also offers paid accounts and sells advertising. The company is backed by venture capital firms including Sequoia Capital, Greylock, and Bessemer Venture Partners, as well as individuals such as Marc Andreessen (co-founder of Netscape and chairman of Opsware), Joe Kraus (co-founder of Excite), and Peter Thiel (co-founder of PayPal).

MagicMethod News

2009-03-30T06:30:00.002-05:00

Thursday’s MagicMethod Phone Sourcing Class Chat was a great success! We had about twenty people show up on pretty short notice including Shally Steckerl and Glenn Gutmacher to give us some great advice regarding LinkedIn’s most recent (and some hints at coming!) changes. You can read through the Class Log here.

There's some great new content posted on the MagicMethod site that you might find interesting. Among it:
Unemployment over 50%?
“I saw it stated yesterday in a training circular that unemployment in recruiting was around 50%! Is this your experience? Tell us what's happening in your world.” They did!

Why are recruiters resented so?

How do you measure the productivity/effectiveness of sourcers?
Microsoft Manager asking.

Have phones gone the way of the dinosaur?
"It seems that at some point, and that point is coming soon, there no longer will be a phone that's just a phone." ~ Sylvia Paull

Is there more to search and discovery than brilliant algorithms?

"HR weenies don't name gather..."

Visit today and add your thoughts to the discussions. I look forward to seeing you in there!
Maureen

“Sometimes questions are more important than answers.” ~ Nancy Willard

Must Read!

2009-03-27T09:32:00.002-05:00

"HR weenies don't name gather, they blast email and read resumes. I don't read resumes until after I already like the guy." More here.

Newest LinkedIn changes to be discussed in MagicTalk!

2009-03-25T14:30:00.001-05:00

LinkedIn appears to be locking us out! Take a look at this string and see if you're not alarmed by what you see. Recently LinkedIn has:
Made the "bulk accept" feature nearly impossible to find (We'll let you in on where it is)
Made it impossible to see your group member emails
Made it impossible to export your group members for communication other than once/weekly
Someone said (at that link) that LI is getting set to change the ability to see 100 profiles down to 60 as of 4/23

There are other bad things too, according to a tweet I saw on Twitter from Irina (braingain) Have you experienced them and what are they?
WHAT IS THE FUTUIRE OF LINKEDIN?

All that will be the subject of the newly reinstated MagicTalk at the MagicMethod community site. Come to class, usual time, noon EST on TH March 26 for the fireworks! Click into the new "TinyChat" box at the top of the main page, insert your name and let's get chattin' about all this.

See you in class!
Maureen

Alarming new developments at LinkedIn?

2009-03-25T13:36:00.001-05:00

Steven Abate wrote (over on that LI post)
Here is some info on a change that has not yet been rolled out. I found out the other day while speaking with a LI account representative that on 4/23, LI is changing the amount of profile views that will be allowed to free account members. As I understand, free users are allowed to click on and view up to 100 profiles a day. Effective 4/23, that number is going to be reduced to 60 profile views per month. I am curious as to what all of your thoughts are on this.
Read the original question and advancing string here.

110 Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation

2009-03-25T05:28:00.006-05:00

"Let your Countenance be pleasant but in Serious Matters Somewhat grave."

By age sixteen, Washington had copied out by hand, 110 Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation. They are based on a set of rules composed by French Jesuits in 1595. Presumably they were copied out as part of an exercise in penmanship assigned by young Washington's schoolmaster. Today many, if not all of these rules, sound a little fussy if not downright silly. It would be easy to dismiss them as outdated and appropriate to a time of powdered wigs and quills, but they reflect a focus that is increasingly difficult to find...Read more on this and all these rules here.

I thought it would be fun to take our founding father's rule book and apply it to modern behavior. Today's rule is Number 19: "Let your Countenance be pleasant but in Serious Matters Somewhat grave." I think President Obama forgot the first part of this lesson in his handling of CNN's Ed Henry's query in the March 24, '09 press conference when, about 35 minutes into the press conference, Mr. Henry asked the President why he didn't spew outrage as soon as he learned about the AIG bonuses.

Why, Mr. Henry asked, did the president wait several days before speaking out? The president, with an icy stare, responded that he "likes to know what he's talking about" before he speaks. It was a pretty testy exchange that brought about nervous laughter from the other reporters and snarky responses from Twitterers. Boom! Next question.

What you think?

Who's watching? Who cares?

2009-03-24T06:59:00.004-05:00

The American government is fostering a French Revolution mob mentality for its citizenry and doesn't even seem to be aware of it. Or, on second thought, maybe they are - introducing 90% tax rates post-tax-law on AIG execs receiving bonuses is maybe a taste of what's to come for the rest of us? Kind of like “Let’s see where their sentiments lie/what can we get away with in the future/how much they know/who’s watching/who cares?”

Bleeding into this last night on CNN’s 9 p.m. No Bull show, Campbell Brown was about to introduce a story on a divorce where the wife was demanding "outrageous" sums for skin care. Campbell sounded appropriately displeased - but alas I fell asleep right at that point (another commercial break) - anyone see and what was it about? I say let them eat cake - if they can afford to eat cake. It's the American way - or is it - anymore?

What you think?

Dartboard Sourcing

2009-03-24T05:54:00.002-05:00

ERE has been so kind as to publish one of my how-to's today:
Many sourcing expeditions are doomed to failure because the sourcer “assumes” they have found what the customer wants. The fact is, in these instances, the sourcer hasn’t asked enough questions of the customer on the front end of the process to know what the customer wants. This is because they do not possess the depth of experience in sourcing to know what questions to ask.
Read the whole article here.

Should You Need a License to Blog?

2009-03-22T06:48:00.006-05:00

Maybe not a license, but certainly maturity, emotional intelligence and a willingness to want to learn new stuff would well-equip a blogger who is so bold as to go where few have gone before.

Here’s how I see blogging/commenting/being a part of any online community. Blogging (and online community, in general) is in its infancy and we few who feel as if we’re the center of the Online Universe have it way wrong. Very few are reading us and we get caught up in thinking that everyone’s eyes are on us. It’s kind of like pre- and pubescent kids who think everybody’s looking at them when the fact of the matter is nobody’s looking at them – who in their right minds want to look at pre and pubescent kids? Very few (except for the pedophile freaks out there and a few others interested in the subject!) And the same goes for us – nobody’s really looking except for we nutty few who are engaged with each other, like to spend time in each others company – for a variety of reasons. Kind of like a typical family.

“All happy families are alike; they have dinner together and the children do the dishes; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way; it could be anything: drunkenness, sassy back-talk, refusal to clean up one’s room, tantrums, nose-picking, adultery, don’t ask.” ~ Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina, original manuscript, pre-edited form

That’s what we have here in the “family” that inhabits each and every one of our universes - drunkenness, sassy back-talk, refusal to clean up one’s room, tantrums, nose-picking, adultery, and much, much more! That’s what families are – imperfect organisms where we learn how to behave out in the bigger world. And this is the reason for this post.

Blogging and participating online is like going to school except for the fact that your “school records” are engraved on the ether. Okay, you have to accept that and if you venture out onto what I originally imagined as a vast black spider-web stretching into infinity when I heard someone say they were “out on the Web” way back in 1996 you have to realize that this goes with the territory.

That being said, online we can learn how to do just about anything and that includes learning very basic communication skills like how to get along with people. Now I understand that there are probably a lot of people online who prefer their own company over the company of others and that makes them particularly grumpish but that will gradually change in the future. Now and in the future it is important that we all learn how to play with each other in the gritty sandbox.

The first thing we must learn online is how to get along with each other – how to become a person others wish to spend time with. That does not include some of the things that Tolstoy originally identified above – particularly sassy back-talk, refusal to clean up one’s room, tantrums and, worst of all, nose-picking in public (yes, those pictures will get out) and let me add one more, garrulousness.

You’re not making any friends or influencing anyone when you choose to engage in “prosy, rambling, or tedious loquacity that is pointlessly or annoyingly talkative” nor when you decide to lambaste others as being wrong on stances they’ve taken. Thrashing and bashing, beating and berating and sharply scolding isn’t going to win you any brownie points with anyone and you're just going to end up hating yourself more.

Now, all that being said, here’s some more of what we can learn that will serve all of us in our blogging careers/be forewarned - in order to learn some of this stuff we have to be able to accept those term papers back, our errors marked up in red and graded - remember those?
How to spell
How to sentence-construct
How to capture ideas and get them across in written formats
How to influence
How to change the world

Pretty heady stuff, isn’t it? I think so.

He was a religious writer and interested in the Master's views. "How does one discover God?"
Said the Master sharply, "Through making the heart white with silent meditation, not making paper black with religious composition." And, turning to his scholarly disciples, he teasingly added, "Or making the air thick with learned conversation." ~ Anthony de Mello, SJ

Anarchy

2009-03-21T07:25:00.016-05:00

This is a post that has evolved from a couple things: the creation of a new social network that is pledged to let the hot air out of Hot Air Bloggers and a cacophony of resistant outcry and detestation over Blogger Rights, Community Rights and the individual's right to call a spade a spade or, as the Oxford English Dictionary records a more forceful variant, "to call a spade a bloody shovel".

Karla, Fruitcake,
It appears the "Nice" (is that a good word for conformity?) Guys are winning (have won?) Skirmish 1.

Be not discouraged, free speech still lives in spite of the fact that Pied Pipers walk among us.

Be that as it may, there was an early interesting comment in the Sacred Cows string; it said:
Jason has both the editorial right and responsibility to decide what is acceptable on the site. If there are sacred cows ,emphasis, "if" ..they should be ignored, impact denied and left to fade into obscurity. I shall defer to both Jason's right and responsibility. If any of our comments are construed to be over the top he will have the same right to remove them. Anarchy in any arena is unacceptable.

I invited a discussion on anarchy in the string but, alas, it never took root other than the symbol I chose to place on the invite of a pitchfork and torch got picked up in several references as a symbol of mob mentality. I don't happen to agree with the statement that anarchy is "never" acceptable and the recent debate (if you could call some of the responses in those strings (here's one of the strings) that emerged "debate") just keeps on begging the question.

Anarchy is referred to by Wikipedia as:
"No rulership or enforced authority." [1]
"Absence of government; a state of lawlessness due to the absence or inefficiency of the supreme power; political disorder."[2]
"A social state in which there is no governing person or group of persons, but each individual has absolute liberty (without the implication of disorder)."[3]
"Absence or non-recognition of authority and order in any given sphere."[4]
A society free from coercive authority of any kind is the goal of proponents of the political philosophy of anarchism (anarchists).
Independent from rule or authority.

There's a pretty rich discussion offered by Wikipedia and I encourage you to follow the Anarchy link above to read it but I'm going to take just one (the first) of the references above to begin this conversation. Hopefully others will choose some of the statements from above and offer them for discussion.

"No rulership or enforced authority." [1] To me, this means that there is no ONE PERSON over all. In other words, in the conflagration we've just passed through, none of the participants wields authority, or power, over another. Social networking is evolving and one of these last painful episodes is just one in another of the many birthing pains we have come to expect and can expect more of in the future. These “pains” deliver to us an unmatched nursery of ideas that we all learn from.

All we really have in this delivery format are our skills as communicators. Part of our communication skills involve our skills as writers – a worthy commitment to words that each and every one of us benefits each the other by. The pen being mightier than the sword, and all that, is very true. What some wish to call undue influence seems to fall under this aegis. So what that one person writes better than another? Is that really an unfair advantage in this little world we inhabit? Has anyone considered that the rest of us stand to better our own (writing/communication) skills by the example of others? Is it such a sin to be able to present an idea clothed in words? Is it such a threat for one person to be able to insert themselves into words that influence? Is this talent to be construed/earmarked/(mis)interpreted as something unholy?

I beg to differ.

I have no disagreement that a forum moderator has “both the editorial right and responsibility to decide what is acceptable on the site.” But I also believe strongly that at a certain point a “forum” takes on a life of its own and becomes the property (in a sense) of the participants that have breathed life and soul into it. Anyone who has “created” an online community where people enjoy each other is going to experience this phenomenon at some point. (Steve Levy pointed this out to me a long time ago and went a long ways towards reducing the proprietorship emotions I was beginning to feel toward my “communities”.)

Creating a community takes a tremendous amount of work – work that most people are just not willing to do. Being an active part of that community also takes a tremendous amount of work – again, work that most people are just not willing to do. Does this mean that a whole lot of hard work translates to influence? Maybe. Is that really a new lesson? I don’t think so. Does it mean that influence is meant to be used as a blunt instrument? Absolutely not and, in my opinion, is where these communities go haywire.

But, when influence (the ability to communicate effectively) is used as a gadfly, as Animal suggested, that makes people question, to make people think, that allows people to learn, and that “influence” is attacked and called something else, called something ugly, it’s just plain wrong.

That all being said, I’m not ‘zakly sure I made the point I set out to make that anarchy is a state where there is “no rulership or enforced authority” and that anarchic states (sometimes, many times) are a good thing. If I didn't I apologize for the time you just spent reading this rant but please know, I tried. And that’s the thing that’s just plain right.

Conversation with a Sourcer

2009-03-20T05:49:00.007-05:00

I received a phone call a couple evenings ago from a recruiter who wanted to get to know me after reading one of my comments on an article I had co-written with Shally and Glen.

She introduced herself and reminded me that we had briefly corresponded in e-mail a couple times in the past and maybe even had spoken once or twice on the phone. She wanted to tell me that she had read the article and to tell you the truth, I was expecting a tongue-lashing because in the post I was most descript in what I view as one (okay, maybe two) of the cardinal sins in recruiting today – lack of curiosity and commitment on the part of recruiter-folk. I figured she had a bone to pick with me – I couldn’t tell. I sort of held my breath.

Next she let me know that she was on my new website and complimented me on the re-design. She said it was much better than the “old one’ and I laughed (very heartily) and said, “I know! But the old one was up for thirteen years!” We both laughed at what worked in the past and she said she was thinking about overhauling her “old” website too even though it had served her well for, coincidentally, the last thirteen years as well. I gave her the name of the person who had created mine (Bryan Chaney) and as we were on the phone she visited his website. To put that subject to bed, we agreed that even though the “old ones” had served us it was time for a new coat of paint and in these less-busy times it was a good opportunity to apply it.

Next, she asked me some pointed questions about sourcing – in other words, how I did what I did. Now, those of you who know me know I am never shy to answer this question. I told her the following.

“Well, you would call me, like you are now, or, if you were a well-established customer as many of mine are you’d send me an e-mail that said, something to the effect:

‘I need to hire a mechanical (chemical, civil, electrical) engineer for a client of mine in Texas. It’s for a massive bridge/road/pipeline/wastewater/power installation/whatever building project and there are some “Best Practice” companies where these people are located. Do you have the bandwidth to help?’

“And I would say to you that the answer to the last bandwidth question is always 'yes' and then I would set out to call into your “Best Practices” target companies and find the people who hold the specific titles you’re seeking and I would bring you back their names, titles and phone numbers and I would charge you $45 for each name/title/phone number. At that point we would step away from the project and the recruiting would be up to you!”

“I have to tell you,” she said, “I’ve used a sourcer in the past and I did not get what I asked for.”

I’ve heard this common refrain before and lately I’ve heard it more and more.

“I cannot speak to what process the sourcer used so I have no idea why your particular results didn't please you. But I can tell you, unequivocally, there are many sourcers out there who are not using the phone to source and it’s the phone that makes all the difference, especially these days!”

“I hear you!” she laughingly exclaimed. “I’m old school too. I enjoy that front-end sourcing part of my job,” she suggestively stated.

“You do?” I asked, a little surprised. “You’re unusual – not many do!”

“I doubt I’m very good at it - I’m sure I could be better at it!” she confessed, modestly.

“Aren’t we all sure of that?” I teased back and began to wonder to myself about the reason for this call.

Going back and seemingly wanting to talk about her earlier disappointment in sourcing she continued, “But those names that sourcer gave me were really way off,” she continued. “Most of them didn't hold the correct titles and about half of them weren't even at the companies the sourcer said they were!”

“Again, I can’t speak definitively to what you received but it sounds like you may have fallen victim to what is widely being presented as “sourcing” these days – which is basically little more than Internet scraping. A lot of it is being done offshore very cheaply and then repackaged for good money as a “sourcing product” when all it is are the results of very tired old sourcing practices like unimaginative board scraping and rookie googling. These results are going to disappoint each and every time. It sounds like that’s what happened to you and it’s unfortunate; it’s happening to a lot of people and it’s giving “sourcing” a bad name!”

She then asked me if I had ever heard of a certain company; I said "yes" and immediately understood what had happened to her – exactly what I detailed above. I said no more.

She then asked me if sourcing was “all” I did. I began to suspect that I might have a phone sourcer on the phone with me! Regardless, I was enjoying the exchange and I asked her why she wanted to know. This is what she said.

“Is that all you do – the front end sourcing?” she pressed.

“No, we do a second piece to the process – profiling the identified field.”

“You mean interviewing?” she asked.

“Kind-of, sort-of,” I answered. “Remember, the names we’re calling – most of them are going to say one of two things to us: 'I’m not looking for a job!' or 'How’d you get my name?' Both of those questions are easy to answer – we recognize the first as understandable and confess the truth to the second – that we called and asked who they were! Both questions are pretty easy to overcome and then we get maybe ten – twelve answers to the questions you as a recruiter would like to see answered before your initial call to that prospective candidate. We try not to draw any lines in the sand and we try not to let the potential candidate draw any lines in the sand – our task is to reconnoiter in advance of your recruiting call. We charge $45 for each completed profile we send you and a completed profile is one in which most of the questions are answered or the potential candidate has agreed to a second call.”

“But you don’t recruit?” she asked.

“No, we don’t recruit. We are a sourcing and research service only. Our mission identifies a potential conflict of interest with our customers in doing both.”

“That makes sense,” she observed.

“Do you ever need any help profiling? I would really enjoy that and let’s be honest, there’s not a whole lot going on in recruiting these days!”

“You think you’d like to do profiling?” I asked, before telling her the truth.

She said she would, that that is the part of the process she especially liked – the initial contact and information gathering and then she asked me if that wasn’t true for myself. I told her that no, that was definitely not the part of the process I enjoyed - that for me it was way too time consuming and intimate – but that I fortunately had a couple profilers that liked doing that part. I then went on to tell her more of the hard truth:

“You said it before – there’s not a whole lot going on in recruiting these days but we’ve been venturing into other waters lately – sales and marketing – and find that our services are translating pretty well there. Recruiting will come back and I believe it will come back very strongly for our particular service and those who have stayed in the business will be the big winners. Right now I don’t have enough business to keep another profiler busy but I’m pretty sure as this new venture builds we’ll have additional needs. And when recruiting roars back I know we’ll have needs for additional profilers!”

I could hear her real interest in the subject by the questions she was asking and I was impressed with the way she went about asking for a job. I was doubly impressed with the amount of information she drew out of me and recognized that someone like this could very well become one of my competitors. That’s okay – the more the merrier. In fact, she asked me if there was enough of a “need” for sourcing these days.

I answered, “There will always be a need for sourcing but sourcing of the right kind. Advanced Internet Research and Telephone Sourcing are going to emerge as the “Best Practices” out of this melee we’re passing through. Most of those Internet scrapers are going to fall off/have fallen off during this cleansing time. What smart sourcers are doing right now is learning the advanced techniques. They’re not letting any grass grow under their feet!”

“And that would be telephone sourcing?” she teased.

“Yes, that would be a big part of it,” I promised.

Posh Greenbrier seeks bankruptcy, sale to Marriott

2009-03-19T12:24:00.006-05:00

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The historic Greenbrier resort, which has gone from hosting presidents and royalty to posting losses, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Thursday and unveiled a deal to sell itself to hotel giant Marriott International Inc. for up to $130 million.The 6,500-acre resort in southeastern West Virginia with 721 rooms also is the site of a once-secret Cold War bunker built to house Congress in case of a nuclear attack. More here.

Greenbrier Bunker Blast Door

13 firms receiving federal bailout owe back taxes

2009-03-19T11:47:00.004-05:00

At least 13 firms receiving billions of dollars in bailout money owe a total of more than $220 million in unpaid federal taxes, a key lawmaker said Thursday.

Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., chairman of a House subcommittee overseeing the federal bailout, said two firms owe more than $100 million apiece.

"This is shameful. It is a disgrace," said Lewis. "We are going to get to the bottom of what is going on here."

Edge: Oh yeah, sure.
More here.

Her ultimate ambition, apparently, is to rule Russia.

2009-03-18T15:10:00.001-05:00

Maria Sergeyeva has become a controversial political celebrity. But how did the 24-year-old Russian garner such widespread attention, and just how powerful might she become? More here.

Gaussian Copula Function = Trojan Horse?

2009-03-18T06:48:00.002-05:00

Former University of Waterloo statistician David X. Li didn't burn down the American economy. He just supplied the matches.

As economists and market watchers cast about for people to blame for the U.S. market meltdown, Li has surfaced as a scapegoat. Recently, Wired magazine ran an article on Li's work subtitled, "The Formula That Killed Wall Street."

The formula in question is the so-called Gaussian copula function. On the most basic level, the formula allows statisticians to model the behaviour of several correlated risks at once.

In a scholarly paper published in 2000, Li proposed the theorem be applied to credit risks, encompassing everything from bonds to mortgages. This particular copula was not new, but the financial application Li proposed for it was.

Disastrously, it was just simple enough for untrained financial analysts to use, but too complex for them to properly understand. It appeared to allow them to definitively determine risk, effectively eliminating it. The result was an orgy of misspending that sent the U.S. banking system over a cliff. More here.

Maureen's Thoughts on Front Page News at ERE.net Today: "The ROI of Cheap Training"

2009-03-17T12:33:00.007-05:00

Adding to what Shally said in his blog post today over on jobmachine.net, I’d like to say that these are the times that are separating the wheat from the chaff in the recruiting industry. There are some in our industry who deserve to be kicked to the curb - these were the ones who came reluctantly to training, sat in the back of the class with their buddies, talked during class and groused out loud why it was important for them to know how to telephone source and called training what it's not. These are the ones who come to the groups and post 'Help! Wanted!' posts and then proceed to ask the rest of us to do their work for them and then don’t even have the courtesy to show back up to clarify a question or to say ‘thank you’ to those who take the time to answer.

These are the ones who show up at work at 9ish, take long lunches, schedule doctor/hair/nail/childrens' playtime appointments during working hours, and leave at 4ish every day and never give a thought to visiting, much less contributing, to any of our sites/networks/events/groups on a week-end, holiday or evening.

These are the ones who think it’s someone else’s duty/responsibility to bear the cost of putting something worthwhile between their own two ears. Investing in oneself is foreign to this mindset; given the choice to 'cheap out' they cheap out each and every time.

Guess what? There are some in our industry who sweat blood to get the job done/get information out to the rest of us/take the time to stop and answer their phones when any of us call with our SOSs. Up at 4 and work ‘til 9 is the mantra of these – never stopping to think, much less ask, “What’s in it for me?” These are the ones who travel, many times at their own great expense, to conventions, seminars, meetings, etc to share the wealth that is between their own two ears with others. These are the ones who can be counted on to show up, without a doubt, each and every time.

Like Shally said, you may be thinking why was the article written and the answer to that was, "because it’s bold, and in these turbulent times it clearly needed to be said."

It is bold, and it does clearly need to be said. And more. So, if you have anything you'd like to add, we'd appreciate hearing it from you!

Again, like Shally said, read our article to find out about the top five lame excuses managers use when deciding to pass on training, what effective training looks like, and how it can be measured to ensure success.

How the Self-Employed Get Stimulus Money

2009-03-17T07:10:00.001-05:00

Self-employed workers don’t have taxes withheld from their paychecks. How can they get their stimulus money?

Most taxpayers who file an individual return will receive $400 in stimulus money in 2009 and in 2010; married couples who file a joint return will receive $800 each year. Instead of receiving a check, employees will get the money through a reduction in the taxes that are withheld from their paychecks, adding about $45 a month to their take-home pay for the rest of the year. More here.

Search by occupation or niche

2009-03-17T06:39:00.002-05:00

Twellow (a service of WebProNews) allows you to search by occupation or niche and has set up a series of categories that cover just about everything. If you do not see the category you want, ask them to add it.

Twibs is a business directory for Twitter that allows you to search by the name of the business. You can sort by the number of followers, or alphabetically. The businesses on the home page are there by popular vote.
More twitter stuff.
Anyone using?

Buffett's '08 salary: $100,000; compensation: $175,000

2009-03-17T05:11:00.003-05:00

The world's second-richest man, Warren Buffett, wasn't even the highest paid employee at his company last year. That distinction belonged once again to Berkshire Hathaway's chief financial officer Marc Hamburg. Buffett, CEO of the company, received a total of $175,000 in compensation in 2008, the same amount he received a year earlier, according to regulatory filing made Friday.

His base salary remained at $100,000, the same level it's been for more than 25 years. He picked up an additional $75,000 for director's fees from some outside companies in which Berkshire has significant investments. That pay did not change from 2007 either. More here.

US firm to close branch due to lack of employees

2009-03-16T15:06:00.001-05:00

A Florida-based firm will soon close one of its North Dakota offices for a reason that seems unfathomable during the deepening US recession: it can't find enough employees to hire.

Sykes Enterprises, which specializes in creating and maintaining computer customer care services for corporations, opened a telephone call center in Minot, North Dakota in 1996. Last May, management wanted to increase the number of employees to 450. More here.

Obama offers more aid to small businesses

2009-03-16T12:34:00.001-05:00

President Barack Obama on Monday offered a fresh package of aid to small businesses —"the heart of the American economy" — in an aggressive push to get big banks that got federal bailout money to do more lending to these struggling entrepreneurs.

"You deserve a chance. America needs you to have that chance," Obama told small business owners gathered in the White House East Room. "And as president I will continue to do everything in my power to ensure that you have the opportunity to contribute to your community, to our economy and to the future of the United States of America," the president said. More here.

2009-03-16T11:51:00.002-05:00

I asked the following question on one of the sales/marketing sites I just started frequenting. Do you agree with the answer and do you have anything to add?

When you're doing business development, how many calls does it take to reach the decision maker - the person who is in a position to make it happen for you?
And one other question - how many calls does it take you to find out who the decison maker(s) is/are? Oh, and sorry - one more (this will be the last!) - what's your favorite tool for finding decision makers?

One respondent answererd:
LinkedIN is the favorite tool, by far. In fact, I seldom have to look elsewhere for the name of a decision maker. Even if the right title isn't on LinkedIn I'll message someone at the firm and say, "I'm probably talking to the wrong person - who should I reach out to? I virtually never have to make a phone call to find the name of the decision maker.

When I actually reach out to the decision maker and get voice mail I leave the message that I know they are very busy and for their convenience I'm going to respond with an email as well, if they find that easier. I then use the subject line Follow Up to Voice Mail. I include a lot more details in the email and ask when we can talk. Easily 90 percent of those I reach out to respond by email instead of phone. And the percent that do respond is very high.

Is Ruse Calling or Rusing Illegal? In Most Real World Instances-No

2009-03-16T05:28:00.004-05:00

Charles Krugel, Human Resources Attorney & Counselor working in labor & employment law on behalf of management, says:
Generally, under federal law it’s not civilly or criminally illegal. I’ve seen blog posts from professionals, & even another management side labor & employment attorney, saying that rusing violates federal law such as Federal Trade Commission rules. Others argue that it violates the Uniform Trade Secret Act, but this isn’t federal law. It’s a doctrine which can be adopted by the states; i.e., unless codified as law, it’s persuasive but not mandatory as an authority.

As best as I can tell rusing only violates FTC law when the recruiter is lying for the purpose of obtaining something of concrete value such as money, trade secrets or inside information in order to gain a direct pecuniary advantage. There’s potential criminal and civil liability with these types of thefts. Still, most trade secret & intellectual property law & doctrine doesn’t address the type of conduct I’m talking about here.
Read the whole article here.

Didn't they say this was so over?

2009-03-14T06:42:00.002-05:00

THE INFLUENCE GAME: Number of PACs hits record
PAC = POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES
WASHINGTON – The number of groups contributing money to presidential and congressional candidates has soared to an all-time high with their strongest growth in a generation, reflecting the fervor over last year's presidential race and a desire for access and clout when lawmakers tackle upcoming issues.

According to the Federal Election Commission, on Jan. 1 there were 4,611 political action committees, which are formed by companies, unions or other groups to raise and spend money to help presidential and congressional candidates. That was up 9 percent over the 4,234 that existed a year earlier.

Many of the new political action committees created last year reflect the types of issues President Barack Obama and Congress, now largely controlled by Democrats, hope to tackle this year. More here.

Unemployment 'is now a national emergency'

2009-03-12T05:16:00.003-05:00

"The jobs situation is now a national emergency, because the huge number of layoffs are not only hurting those directly affected, but are intensifying fears among those still employed that they may be next," Radnor International Consulting President Larry Chimerine says. "This is creating more downward pressure on (consumer) spending, making the recession even worse." More here.

Are you a critical thinker?

2009-03-12T03:59:00.001-05:00

How can we hope to thoughtfully address the economic issues, conflicts, world poverty, and many other pressing concerns that trouble our planet, if we don't take the way we think seriously?

We can't. To effectively deal with these issues, we must cultivate the spirit of critical thinking throughout human societies.

Right now we are not even teaching the skills and dispositions of the critical mind in our schools. We are not cultivating the intellect.
More here.

Reports of America's decline are greatly exaggerated

2009-03-12T03:43:00.001-05:00

Here are six reasons why America's starring role on the world stage isn't over.
1.The United States still has the most competitive economy in the world.
2. The US is still a major international power broker.
3. The US military is without parallel.
4. America's competitors lack good allies.
5. American ideals are becoming universal.
6. The US attracts the world's best workforce.
Read more here.

Long Trip Back

2009-03-11T06:36:00.002-05:00

When employees and their families go overseas, many assume that adjusting to a foreign culture will be the hardest part of their assignment. But the challenges of returning home are often greater, especially now when companies are bringing some back early to save money.

Margery M. Marshall, president of Vandover, a global transition support company, said that big financial services companies, in particular, have accelerated repatriation in recent months.

“It’s scary,” she said. “That guarantee of a job? You may see that plummet. And what’s doubly scary is the spouse or partner gave up a career to go overseas and now has to start over and go back to work.” More here.

Boys and Girls Together, Taught Separately in Public School

2009-03-11T06:05:00.003-05:00

Fascinating Initiative
The single-sex classes at Public School 140, which started as an experiment last year to address sagging test scores and behavioral problems, are among at least 445 such classrooms nationwide, according to the National Association for Single-Sex Public Education. Most have sprouted since a 2004 federal regulatory change that gave public schools freedom to separate girls and boys. More here.

As Jobs Vanish, Motel Rooms Become Home for Some

2009-03-11T05:09:00.002-05:00

As the recession has deepened, longtime workers who lost their jobs are facing the terror and stigma of homelessness for the first time, including those who have owned or rented for years. Some show up in shelters and on the streets, but others, like the Hayworths, are the hidden homeless — living doubled up in apartments, in garages or in motels, uncounted in federal homeless data and often receiving little public aid. More here.

It seems to me there's been no better time than NOW for companies who have long been recipients of government assistance through corporate welfare programs to consider purchasing housing for their employees - this would do a couple things:
HELP stabilize the housing market
PROVIDE HOUSING to those who need it (especially those w/kids!)
PAY BACK some of the ill-gotten gains that have been ill-gotten at the expense of the American taxpayer
CONTINUE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE of the tax code in such a way that helps others as well as themselves

I know this may seem a bit radical to some of you but think about it - doesn't it make sense?

LinkedIn Skyrockets as Job Losses Mount

2009-03-10T09:35:00.001-05:00

There are two places most of today’s laid-off executives are heading: to job-search sites to see what other opportunities are out there and to networking sites in hopes they can reconnect with—and get leads from—former colleagues and business contacts.
One site, LinkedIn, offers both of those things in one place.
So it should come as no surprise that the site’s traffic is up during the recession. It recently hit 36 million members and is adding new users at a rate of about one member per second.
More here.

"Boolean Search Does Not Equal Internet Search" ~ Boolean Black Belt

2009-03-10T08:44:00.003-05:00

Glen Cathey, Boolean Black Belt will be on the TalkSourcing Radio Show on Weds, March 11 at 1pm EST (after the Recruiting Animal's radio noon show) to answer your sourcing questions! Don't miss him - this guy has some really interesting perspectives!
Call in to talk: 646 652 2754

"...beware of geeks bearing formulas." ~Warren Buffett

2009-03-10T07:56:00.004-05:00

“Options theory is kind of deep in some way. It was very elegant; it had the quality of physics,” Dr. Derman explained recently with a tinge of wistfulness, sitting in his office at Columbia, where he is now a professor of finance and a risk management consultant with Prisma Capital Partners.

Dr. Derman, who spent 17 years at Goldman Sachs and became managing director, was a forerunner of the many physicists and other scientists who have flooded Wall Street in recent years, moving from a world in which a discrepancy of a few percentage points in a measurement can mean a Nobel Prize or unending mockery to a world in which a few percent one way can land you in jail and a few percent the other way can win you your own private Caribbean island.

They are known as “quants” because they do quantitative finance. Seduced by a vision of mathematical elegance underlying some of the messiest of human activities, they apply skills they once hoped to use to untangle string theory or the nervous system to making money.
More here.
******
Having trouble finding quants? We can help! Call the phone sourcing experts at TechTrak 513 899 9628

Smith Barney losing nearly 80 reps a week

2009-03-09T14:18:00.002-05:00

Smith Barney lost 539 brokers through a combination of layoffs and poaching during the first seven weeks of 2009, according to a source. It’s shaping up to be another challenging quarter for Smith Barney as the firm continues to lose reps and advisers at a blistering pace.

Over the first seven weeks of 2009, New York-based Smith Barney saw 539 brokers leave, according to a source outside the firm with knowledge of the departures. That translates into 77 brokers leaving each week from Jan. 1 to Feb. 19.

The departures include a range of financial pros, from trainees and rookies who were let go by the firm to veteran producers recently recruited by rivals, the source said. Big winners include rivals such as Wachovia Securities and UBS Financial Services Inc., who picked up 115 and 113 advisers, respectively.

More here.

Warren Buffett says economy fell off a cliff

2009-03-09T07:33:00.003-05:00

Billionaire Warren Buffett said the economy has "fallen off a cliff" over the past six months and consumers have changed their habits in remarkable ways.

Buffett said Monday during a live appearance on CNBC that current economic turmoil has basically followed the worst-case scenario he envisioned.

"It's fallen off a cliff," Buffett said. "Not only has the economy slowed down a lot, but people have really changed their habits like I haven't seen."

Buffett said the changes are reflected in the results of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s subsidiaries. He said Berkshire's jewelry companies have suffered, but more people have been willing to switch to Geico to save money on car insurance.

Berkshire owns a diverse mix of more than 60 companies, including insurance, furniture, carpet, jewelry, restaurants and utility businesses. And it has major investments in such companies as Wells Fargo & Co. and Coca-Cola Co.
More here.

3 Easy Ways to Increase Your Blogs Performance:

2009-03-09T07:20:00.003-05:00

From a real estate circular but applicable across many industries:
1.Revamp your writing style - Real estate blogs are notoriously boring, each article is often focused on a particular property or area, not the type of article for the casual reader. However, they don’t have to be that way. It is not only possible, but easy, to convey that same message in a much more user friendly format. Popular blogs often publish lots of "top 10" and "how to" style posts because they captivate the reader and pull them in. For instance, rather than writing an article titled "Things to do in Dallas Texas", what if you wrote, "Top 20 Family Friendly Hot Spots in Dallas Texas". Which one of those would you be more inclined to read? Those little changes can drastically increase your blogs traffic.

2. Encourage reader involvement – Blogs are designed to be a community hub but it is the bloggers responsibility to encourage the community. Many real estate bloggers like to jump straight to requesting the phone call, when in reality that is kind of like skipping dinner on the first date. You should give your visitors the opportunity to get to know you before handing them a mortgage bill. Encourage your readers to sign-up for site updates through a third party service such as Feedburner.com. If after a few visits they still want to contact you about a property, then you have strong prospect that you can work with.

3. Let yourself become social – One major attraction to blogging for many businesses is the blogs natural connection to the numerous social communities available these days. Social networks attract millions of people in every age group and from every walk of life. These communities regularly make or break a bloggers fame. Try including social bookmarking buttons and icons at the bottom of each post in your blog, you might even include a quick line, something like "If you enjoyed this post please share it on your favorite social website by using the buttons below!". A line like that is simple, unobtrusive and again encourages your readers to get involved. Oh and by the way, getting an article on the front page of a popular social site can easily bring upwards of forty-thousand visitors to your website in a matter of hours. How does that sound?
Read entire piece here.

Success Requires Discipline

2009-03-09T07:00:00.002-05:00

People like myself, who were born in the 1960's and beyond, have grown up in a vacuum compared to older generations. We are far too removed from the World War I generation, Depression generation, World War II generation, and even the Korean War generation. Those generations needed discipline just to survive. In modern day America, you don't need discipline to survive. We have slowed the train down, so undisciplined people can stay on the train. Discipline is the “secret weapon” of successful people. It is the one big tool that separates them from all others.
More here.

The B Word

2009-03-08T07:41:00.002-05:00

Socially Sanctioned Self-Sabotage
Because of socially sanctioned self-sabotage, women absorb this culturally condoned vilifying of ambitious women, tamp down our natural drive and desire to achieve, and instead pacify ourselves with ideas spoon-fed to us by the culture about what a "real, decent woman" is and does.

Your ideal gal? She's cooperative, fair-minded, eager to give everyone a hearing. Yes, she values success and it's okay for her to say that.

But admit to being that dirty word "ambitious", to having really big dreams? Well, that's over the top.

And if she's tenacious, determined, stubborn, aggressive, committed to excellence in her field, confident--and especially if she's competing against like-minded male peers and feels entitled to earn her worth, power, and recognition? We swiftly unsheathe the B-word to bring her down hard, to put her in her place.
More here.

Jobs That Pay $50/Hour

2009-03-08T02:20:00.003-05:00

Imagine that every hour you spend on the job makes you fifty dollars richer; two hours, and you're up to three figures; a year of full-time work, and you've got a six-figure salary. Fifty-dollar-an-hour careers net eight times the federal minimum wage. Only five percent of Americans command this kind of money. The following career paths will give you $50-an-hour earning power.
1. Pharmacist Earnings (2007): $48.31/hour $100,480 salary
Actuary (Management & Technical Consulting) Earnings (2007): $51.48/hour $107,080 salary
Marketing Manager Earnings (2007): $54.52/hour $113,400 salary
High School Principal Earnings (2006): $44.70/hour $92,965 salary
Petroleum Engineer Earnings (2007): $54.75/hour $113,890
More here.

What Your Benefits Are Worth

2009-03-05T16:20:00.002-05:00

You May Earn 30% More Than You Think
What's in a wage? Most of us think of a simple base rate of pay, but if we call it by another name -- like, total compensation package -- this topic gets a whole lot sweeter, and you're probably earning more than you think.

The latest information on the costs for employee compensation comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and is evaluated based on numbers gathered through September 2008 when the average wage across all industries and seniority levels was just over $20/hour (approximately $42,000/year). Below is a list of common benefits and how they much can add to your salary:
Health Insurance Benefits, + 11%
Social Security, Medicare and Other Insurances, + 8%
Retirement Plan, + 6%
Vacation, Sick Leave, Personal Time, + 7%

Other Less Common Benefits, + 1-10%
* Stock Options
* Company Cars
* Gym Memberships
* Lunch, Coffee, Snacks
* Bus Passes
More here.

7 best part-time jobs

2009-03-05T16:13:00.002-05:00

The common perception is that part-time jobs have less to offer than full-time positions. That may be true in terms of hours in the work week, but many part-time jobs pay just as well as a traditional 40-hour week ones and a number of positions come with health insurance coverage, paid vacation days and employee discounts.
Here is a list of some of the best part-time jobs:
1. Tax Preparer
2. Substitute Teacher
3. Private Tutor
4. Part-Time Receptionist
5. Computer Technician
6. Copy Editor
7. Direct Seller
More here.

Catholics are urged to give up texting for Lent

2009-03-05T06:27:00.002-05:00

Catholic Church: Refrain from gadgets for Lent
ROME - Roman Catholic bishops in Italy are urging the faithful to go on a high-tech fast for Lent, switching off modern appliances from cars to iPods and abstaining from surfing the Web or text messaging until Easter.

The suggestion goes far beyond no-meat Fridays, giving a modern twist to traditional forms of abstinence in the five-week period Christians set aside for fasting and prayer ahead of Easter. And it shows the Church's increasing focus on technology's uses — with many of the Lenten appeals posted on various dioceses' Web sites.

"It's a small way to remember the importance of concrete and not virtual relationships," the Modena diocese said in a statement. "It's an instrument to remind us that our actions and lifestyles have consequences in distant countries."
More here.

Beginning of a Revolt?

2009-03-02T15:47:00.003-05:00

The beginning of a revolt?
Lawmakers across the country are sponsoring resolutions — most of them only symbolic — asserting state sovereignty, in effect the right to ignore any federal law or policies they deem unconstitutional, including the stimulus bill, the No Child Left Behind Act and any new assault rifle ban.

In New Hampshire, the House is scheduled to vote on Republican state Rep. Daniel Itse's resolution Wednesday. Supporters are planning a rally at the Statehouse before the vote.

"I think that the specter of some assaults on our liberty have become so real and immediate that there is a reaction," Itse said.

Lawmakers in at least 15 states are sponsoring similar resolutions. They say they're fighting back against decades of federal overreach, culminating in the stimulus package.

Saudi Prince Is Humbled By Citigroup

2009-03-02T09:29:00.003-05:00

I thought it would take a nuclear blast to return the Saudis to their desert ways. Turns out there's more than one kind of nuclear blast...

New York Times via NewsEdge: The bad news arrived by telephone early this week at the Saudi headquarters of Prince Walid bin Talal. Citigroup, the investment that had transformed Prince Walid from an obscure Arabian royal into the Warren E. Buffett of the Middle East, was spiraling down around him. And now, on the line from New York, was Citigroup's chief executive, calling personally to tell the prince that the United States government would substantially increase its stake in the troubled financial company -- a step that would cost the prince dearly.

As it did Friday. The stunning collapse of Citigroup's share price, to a mere $1.50 on Friday from a record $55 in 2006, has hurt investors worldwide. But few reputations have suffered as severe a blow as that of Prince Walid, who owns about 4 percent of the company.

Prince Walid, like other large holders of preferred shares like the government of Singapore, has said he will exchange his preferred stock for common shares. But the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority has not agreed to the deal and is looking to solicit a legal opinion to assess its options, people briefed on the fund's thinking said.

That the investment authority finds itself in such a position is not without irony. When Abu Dhabi invested in Citigroup, an uproar was raised that this stake represented the first stage of a creeping influence by government-owned investment funds over American financial companies. Now, it is the United States government that is, in effect, taking over, leaving Abu Dhabi and other foreign investors in a lurch. More here.
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Don’t have time to phone source to fill your hard-to-fill positions? Call the phone sourcing experts at TechTrak 513 899 9628

Lucrative Job Skills During a Recession

2009-03-01T08:00:00.004-05:00

Most career counselors emphasize the need to keep your job skills fresh in the best of times, let alone during a slump in the economy. Technology and "best practices" in all professions are constantly evolving and even the more experienced workers can find themselves trumped by recent graduates who have a better handle on skills that improve the bottom line. If you're wondering how best to remain competitive in the workplace, consider bolstering your training now.

Paralegal Studies
They're available at the associate, bachelor's and master's degree level and earnings--according to The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)--are topping out above the $70,000-a-year range. Oh, and job openings for paralegals are predicted to rise by 22 percent during the 2006-2016 decade.

Education Administration Degree
The median 2007 annual wage for elementary and secondary administrators was $80,580.

Web Developer Training
Senior Web developers were expected to earn to salaries of $108,250 in 2008.

Accounting Degree
Top earnings for accountants in 2007 surpassed $98,000.

Bachelor's Degree in Nursing
Read more here.
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Phone Sourcing is one powerful answer to a company's hiring needs. Phone sourcing can save at least 75% of traditional recruiting fees. Call the experts today! 513 899 9628

Intellectual Curiosity Test

2009-03-01T07:56:00.001-05:00

Take the Intellectual Curiosity Test here.
What's your score?
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Phone Sourcing is one powerful answer to a company's hiring needs. Phone sourcing can save at least 75% of traditional recruiting fees. Call the experts today! 513 899 9628

NOTICE: The Ning Chat platform has changed

2009-03-01T02:51:00.004-05:00

NOTICE: The Ning Chat platform has changed and (for us) it's not for the better. To read more about the details of the changes on the MagicMethod site go here.

If you don't like it (like I don't!) voice your complaints to ning.

Because the chat history log has been shortened substantially to ten messages AND there is no longer a possibility to copy and capture the chat for later perusal I think it best to suspend MagicMethod Phone Sourcing Tuesday and Thursday noon (EST) classroom chats until a more user-friendly platform can be located. If you know of one I'd appreciate hearing about it!

In the meantime there is terrific content on the site and I encourage you to VISIT DAILY for information. I just put up a post that will lead you to a fascinating directory related to the energy sector (you'll have some fun with this one!)

I'm beginning to see things stirring a little - being an active member/filling our your profile on a phone sourcing networking site like MagicMethod is a good way to get yourself "noticed" by work-providers in the coming "new" times. Read the lively Sumser string over on RBC - if you're still not convinced that phone sourcing is the new "It" in sourcing it very well may change your thinking!
Maureen

"Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Self Interest

2009-02-27T12:01:00.003-05:00

I was surprised yesterday to hear Attorney General Eric Holder calling Mexico out as the main reason for President Obama's attempt to seek a ban on assault weapons.

Holder said that putting the ban back in place would not only be a positive move by the United States, it would help cut down on the flow of guns going across the border into Mexico, which is struggling with heavy violence among drug cartels along the border.

Maybe I'm overly sensitive to overt lightening-fast moves to part me with my constituitional rights, but is it only me thinking that this self-servingly smacks of some pot callin' other kettles black? Read more here.

Faces of Joblessness

2009-02-26T11:15:00.003-05:00

Small business owner. Receptionist. Software developer. Executive assistant.

Thousands of unemployed New Yorkers braved the frigid cold in Midtown Tuesday, waiting in line for a chance to meet potential new employers and attend seminars at the "Women For Hire Career Expo."

The throngs of people crisscrossing the sidewalks outside the Sheraton New York Hotel underscored the desperation growing among the jobless in New York City, and across the country. The unemployment rate in New York City is 7.2 percent, and stands at 7.6 percent nationwide. More here.

Unpaid furloughs a trend for U.S. white-collar jobs

2009-02-26T07:06:00.004-05:00

U.S. newspapers have done it. California police have too. Governments in California, New Jersey and Ohio say it will save the budget. Forcing workers to take unpaid time off is a new version of the American layoff.

The involuntary furlough, once a staple of boom-and-bust blue-collar industries like mining or automaking, is making its way into white-collar workplaces across the United States as employers try to cut costs quickly amid a deepening recession.

...while workers may be grateful they are not being laid off, experts say the spread of the unpaid furlough through state governments, universities, publishing firms and chemical companies is not the result of corporate altruism -- it's simply the best, fastest, way to cut payroll costs."More here.
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MagicMethod Phone Sourcing Classroom Chats are back in session! Classes run every Tuesday and Thursday at noon EST. Get smarter here.
“Don’ be a fool – stay in school!” ~ Mr. T

San Francisco Chronicle may shut down

2009-02-25T12:58:00.002-05:00

San Francisco may lose its main newspaper, the San Francisco Chronicle, as owner Hearst Corp cuts a "significant" number of jobs and decides whether to shut or sell the money-losing daily. The privately held New York-based publisher already is considering shutting a second West Coast paper, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, in the face of a devastating decline in advertising revenue and big losses. More here.

Gov't says 'mass layoffs' soared in January

2009-02-25T12:51:00.001-05:00

Employers took a large ax to their payrolls in January, the government said Wednesday, and the cuts are likely to get worse over the next few months.

The Labor Department reported that mass layoffs, or job cuts of 50 or more by a single employer, increased to 2,227 in January, up almost 50 percent from the same month last year. More than 235,000 workers were fired in last month's cuts.
More here.

Big Immigration Changes Fly under the Radar

2009-02-24T07:24:00.002-05:00

One fine day Americans are going to wake up to find that Congress and the President have enacted transformational changes to our immigration laws. Landmark legislation will pass that ensures both the security of our borders and our economic competitiveness. Those who deserve to live and work in the United States will be allowed to do so, and those who do not will be excluded. And all this will be done without building an ugly wall between us and our neighbors to the north or south. Kennedy Information piece by Carl Shusterman here.

Can California Get Back Its' Groove?

2009-02-23T11:54:00.002-05:00

California, once a dream state, strives to get back its groove
Perhaps more than any state in America, California represents the end of the rainbow. Generations of fortune-seekers have seen it as a place of almost magical light and color where they could obtain, if not a big pot of gold, at least a good living in a climate where oleander bushes and innovation thrive equally as well.

That storied vision, fading for some time, is now in danger of disappearing altogether.

From drought to high taxes, from overcrowded classrooms to overflowing prisons, California confronts a perfect storm of troubles – one that elected officials here seem unable to navigate with any surety, as last week's herculean effort to simply produce an annual budget demonstrated to all of the nation. More here.

Propose your stimulus plan for California here.

Q&A on California tax increases

2009-02-23T09:39:00.003-05:00

Q&A on California tax increases
Californians will pay more to shop, to drive their cars and simply to live in the Golden State under a new budget to be signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today that raises $12.8 billion in new taxes. The state Legislature agreed to raise the sales tax, income tax and vehicle license fees to help close the state's staggering $41 billion deficit. Here are answers to common questions about how much the tax increases will cost.
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Did you know California has 12% of U.S. residents in a land mass the size of Japan?
And that Japan has 42% (128,000,000) of the U.S.' (300,000,000) population?

You’re Scared. But Don’t Shift Into Reverse.

2009-02-23T09:30:00.001-05:00

IF you haven’t lost your job, you probably know someone who has. At the very least, you know someone hovering on the edge between employment and uncertainty. My in-box is filled with frantic notes, résumés and networking requests from contacts and strangers, many formerly in high-level positions.

Unfortunately, when our careers hit a road bump or when we fear turbulence ahead, we tend to act in ways that may harm us in the long run. Some of us might be swayed by job opportunities outside our expertise or below what we’re capable of — anything to keep those paychecks coming.

The trouble is, when we make moves based on fear or desperation, we often become mired in jobs we never wanted. Sometimes our careers even go backward, undoing much of our hard work to lay a foundation for professional success. More here.

More Customers Give Up the Cellphone Contract

2009-02-23T07:50:00.002-05:00

Maybe Tony Soprano was onto something. As the lead mobster in the HBO series “The Sopranos,” he and his crew often turned to prepaid cellphones, presumably to avoid wiretaps. A prepaid phone is purchased at a T-Mobile store in Queens. Prepaid phone sales rose 13 percent in North America last year. But now these pay-as-you-go phones are winning over fans for different reasons — recession-battered consumers are buying them as a way to cut costs and avoid the lengthy contracts and occasional billing surprises that come with traditional cellphone plans.

“Frugal is the new chic,” said Joy Miller, 33, a piano teacher in Aubrey, Tex. After almost a decade on contract plans with Verizon Wireless, Mrs. Miller and her husband decided this month to test-drive a few prepaid plans, including MetroPCS. “In today’s economy, it’s not cool to pay $120 a month for a phone. It’s a waste of money.” More here.

Can an Employer’s Past Follow Its Workers?

2009-02-23T07:46:00.001-05:00

JOB hunting in this market is hard enough. Pity the candidate coming from Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, the Stanford Group or another company tainted by bad news of one sort or another.

Many recruiters and hiring managers do not hold the employee responsible for the possible sins of the employer. But others may. With unemployment at a 17-year high and the job market flooded with flawless C.V.’s, candidates in question may have to work especially hard to convince managers that they are not damaged goods. More here.
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Getting inappropriate job applicants? It’s harder than ever to find the top performers – we can do that for you! Call the phone sourcing experts at TechTrak 513 899 9628

Smoothing the Way to Self-Employment

2009-02-23T07:35:00.001-05:00

BEING your own boss. Hanging out your shingle. Striking out on your own. In a society that reveres rugged individualism, self-employment has always had a certain allure.

In fact, each month from 2002 through 2007, just under 300 of every 100,000 adults in the United States started a business, according to the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity.

When the economy is strong, people may try self-employment because the opportunities seem plentiful and financing is easy to get. And in harder times like these, it can seem a tempting option for people who have just been laid off — or are watching as colleagues all around them lose their jobs.

But mystique aside, is self-employment always an attractive option?
More on this here.
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Interested in buying/selling a business? Join the networking group SellYourOwnBusiness here.

New Search Technology

2009-02-23T07:17:00.003-05:00

One day last summer, Google’s search engine trundled quietly past a milestone. It added the one trillionth address to the list of Web pages it knows about. But as impossibly big as that number may seem, it represents only a fraction of the entire Web. Beyond those trillion pages lies an even vaster Web of hidden data: financial information, shopping catalogs, flight schedules, medical research and all kinds of other material stored in databases that remain largely invisible to search engines.

The challenges that the major search engines face in penetrating this so-called Deep Web go a long way toward explaining why they still can’t provide satisfying answers to questions like “What’s the best fare from New York to London next Thursday?” The answers are readily available — if only the search engines knew how to find them.

Now a new breed of technologies is taking shape that will extend the reach of search engines into the Web’s hidden corners. When that happens, it will do more than just improve the quality of search results — it may ultimately reshape the way many companies do business online. Fascinating piece here.
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Getting inappropriate job applicants? It’s harder than ever to find the top performers – we can do that for you! Call the phone sourcing experts at TechTrak 513 899 9628

How to Make Yourself More Findable Online (Part 2)

2009-02-21T15:43:00.001-05:00

Read my latest Brazen Careerist article with Glen Cathey (Boolean Black Belt) here.

Phone Call Butler

2009-02-20T06:29:00.002-05:00

Trick #1: Phone Call Butler
Tired of paying big bucks for information? Tired of fumbling with pen and paper to write down a number? Those Google people never fail to amaze us. Now they have come up with an 800 number you can call and ask for any business in the country. They then dial it and connect to it for you.
You can use it from a land line or cell phone and, once programmed into your cell phone, you can get connected with one push of a button. In addition to dialing for you, you can request by business category and get a map or a text message with more detail.
Neat stuff - and oh yes - there is no cost for this service. Long live Google.

Trick #2: Use Your Phone Number as Your E-mail Address
How'd you like to use your phone number for your e-mail address? Next time someone asks for your e-mail address just give them your phone number and tell them "email me at my number."
Emails sent to you at your "phone number e-mail address" will then be forwarded to the email address you register. This easy-to-remember address makes it convenient for folks. No more rustling for pen and paper, No more "D as in Donald, S as in Sam." No more hyphen, dot, dash etc" No confusion, no hassle.
And - guess what - it's on the house.
More CyberTips here.

MagicMethod Phone Sourcing Classroom Chat Log Thursday, February 19, 2009

2009-02-20T06:02:00.001-05:00

12:00pm Maureen Sharib Welcome everyone to the MagicMethod Phone Sourcing Class - today's subject is about people skills. Read this post about today's subject matter.
12:02pm Maureen Sharib What ARE people skills? Does everyone have them? How does one get them?
12:03pm Judy Reynolds social skills is part of it
12:03pm Recruiting Animal I have them Maureen
12:03pm Maureen Sharib Can they be taught/learned or do you need to have a natural ability towards it?
12:03pm Recruiting Animal But not at social or business gatherings
12:03pm Chris De Leo i don't think everyone has them. and it's so essential to our field
12:03pm Maureen Sharib Sit down RA
12:03pm Judy Reynolds personally speaking I think it's natural ability
12:04pm Recruiting Animal It's an interesting question: Do Introverts Have Social Skills? I would say yes but only under specific conditions
12:04pm Maureen Sharib RA, if not at social or business gatherings then where do you have them?
12:04pm Denyse Diem I don't think it's that cut and dry - you need a bit of both, natural ability, a no fear attitude and willingness to learn and hone those skills
12:04pm Recruiting Animal Some people are good one on one and others in groups I don't have any social skills Maureen. It was a joke
12:04pm Don to me .. being able to engage others in easy conversations relating to their situations, having empathy, listening to them (two ears one mouth)
12:04pm Denyse Diem Are you best one on one Animal?
12:04pm Annette Rinslo I agree with Judy, also a person needs to have the ability to listen to people well.
12:05pm Recruiting Animal Listening is over rated
Read the whole chat log here.

"...women are better human beings than men..."

2009-02-20T05:53:00.005-05:00

Ali Anwer asks, over on LinkedIn:
Do you think women are better than men, men better than women or are both equal? Why/why not?

"I think women are better human beings than men since they are more sensitive. Other than that both men and women are almost equal in evreything." ~ Ruchi Tandon, Manager at ICICI Bank Ltd
See the original question and all the answers here.

Persistence

2009-02-20T05:27:00.003-05:00

Persistence is crucial to ultimate success in life. To learn the skill of persistence, you must first learn to persist in the little things. The first step for mastery of persistence is the ability to decide and have the clarity of decision that you will do it or else. Start with persistence in your eating habits or workout habits. You could even just select one thing or task you need to do today. Then make sure you complete it before the end of the day. Don’t ever end your day before you get it done. ~ Realty Times
Whole article here.

Bloomberg stokes entrepreneurial fires

2009-02-18T15:08:00.001-05:00

Officials aim to encourage laid-off workers to start their own businesses by introducing the first city-sponsored business incubator in Manhattan. More here.

Tuesday, Feb 17 MagicMethod Phone Sourcing Class Chat Log

2009-02-18T07:51:00.002-05:00

Best Remark of the Day
“The historic volumes of use of social networks since the downturn is really focusing functionality into the technology…the ethics are just now starting to pop up ...it will be interesting to see the generic response evolution.” ~ jayson seymour
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12:01pm Maureen Sharib Welcome sourcers to the MagicMethod Phone Sourcing class chat - today's class subject is about what we can do to keep our sourcing skills sharp!
12:03pm Recruiting Animal Just call up companies for fun and see how good you are
12:03pm Maureen Sharib ...these days when there's so little staffing work.
12:03pm Maureen Sharib Anyone?
12:03pm Maureen Sharib That's one way RA. ;)
12:03pm Recruiting Animal Thats' ideal mo there's no pressure
12:03pm Maureen Sharib But I have a bad habit. I like to get paid for my time. ;)
12:04pm Recruiting Animal I thought this was about skill perfection
12:04pm Maureen Sharib There's always pressure if you're a Type A personality. You carry the cross along w/ you wherever you go. ;)
12:04pm Maureen Sharib Okay - I'll go first. I'm doing some database "checking" for a couple far-sighted customers. They know this thing is gonna end and they want to be positioned. To that end we are "cleaning up" their databases on an hourly basis and getting paid (per name) when we add new names with correct titles. Anybody else doing anything like this? There are a lot of corrections needed in databases, especially after this firing tsunami we've experienced. It's not as hard as sourcing "right on" - meaning when we don't have any names to "get in" with - so we're charging LESS on the per name refreshment piece (as long as we're contracted to replace 50 names or more). With someone's database it's easier to approach those testy gatekeepers - anyone know what I mean? If you "have a name" going in what are the possibilities?
12:10pm Dean Lockett If we're practicing to keep our skills honed, I like to go to LayOff reports and start calling into those companies for something I'm actively looking for. These are easy targets and usually responsive on the other end.
12:11pm Maureen Sharib Dean -LayOff reports - can you 'splain?
12:11pm Dean Lockett You can set up RSS feeds on engines for layoff reports
Check announcements daily
12:12pm Alice Owens Here at Kaiser I am keeping my skills sharp by working on building our Executive Pipelines using layoff reports
12:12pm Dean Lockett When you see a firm laying off, they usually state what depts are affected
12:12pm Maureen Sharib Another layoff report - can you explain?
12:13pm Maureen Sharib Alice - how do you use the info?
12:13pm Dean Lockett Don't go to LinkedIN or Job boards or outplacement boards, just hoover the company and cold call
12:13pm Maureen Sharib Dean - can you walk us thru a scenario?
12:14pm Alice Owens I receive the report and hit the websites for biographies and then do cold calls
12:14pm Maureen Sharib This is interesting...But is it for mostly upper levels?
12:14pm Dean Lockett Here
12:14pm Dean Lockett There is one
12:15pm Alice Owens yes - the name Kaiser opens a lot of doors
12:15pm Maureen Sharib How do you specifically use that info Dean?
12:15pm Dean Lockett HR Live is one too
12:15pm Dean Lockett or Yahoo Layoff reports
12:15pm Maureen Sharib It sure does Alice. So Alice you're after upper levels usually?
12:16pm Dean Lockett It identifies company layoffs, location, # of employees affected and sometimes what depts or levels
12:16pm Dean Lockett Go to Hoover or google the company, get their number
12:16pm Alice Owens yes - Directors, VP's, Sr. VP's, COO's , CNO's
12:16pm Maureen Sharib So knowing what depts are being impacted sets you off on a hunt for those that are being laid off Dean?
12:17pm Dean Lockett Can be, could call into those depts to get leads to others if needed - If they are laying off, people are more free to give leads
Read the whole Tuesday Class Chat Log here.

States Recruit Worried Californians (They Use That Bad Word)

2009-02-17T16:43:00.003-05:00

Several Western states are launching aggressive efforts to poach jobs, talent and industry from California, sensing an opportunity to capitalize on the Golden State's current political and financial woes.

Colorado is the first out of the box with a Valentine-themed banner that will trail behind an airplane circling rush-hour traffic in Los Angeles on Friday morning, urging Californians to give Colorado a try. Ads in newspapers from San Diego to San Jose will feature a Cupid in ski boots over a bold-faced tease: "California, can you feel Colorado's love?"

Hundreds of California CEOs will receive flowery Valentine's Day cards proclaiming, "Mile High State Seeks Sea-Level Executive." The campaign even includes a YouTube video of Tom Clark, executive vice president of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corp., kissing the envelopes before depositing them lovingly into a mailbox. More here.

Do We Need a New Internet?

2009-02-16T06:35:00.002-05:00

What a new Internet might look like is still widely debated, but one alternative would, in effect, create a “gated community” where users would give up their anonymity and certain freedoms in return for safety. Today that is already the case for many corporate and government Internet users. As a new and more secure network becomes widely adopted, the current Internet might end up as the bad neighborhood of cyberspace. You would enter at your own risk and keep an eye over your shoulder while you were there.

“Unless we’re willing to rethink today’s Internet,” says Nick McKeown, a Stanford engineer involved in building a new Internet, “we’re just waiting for a series of public catastrophes.” More here.
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Getting inappropriate job applicants? It’s harder than ever to find the top performers – we can do that for you! Call the phone sourcing experts at TechTrak 513 899 9628

The Chinese are coming, to buy bargain US homes

2009-02-15T11:29:00.001-05:00

Beijing lawyer Ying Guohua is heading to the United States on a shopping trip, looking not for designer clothes or jewelry, but for a $1 million home in New York City or Los Angeles. He expects to get a bargain. Ying is part of a growing number of Chinese who are joining tours organized especially for investors who want to take advantage of slumping U.S. real estate prices amid a financial crisis.

"It's a great time to buy because of the financial crisis, and houses in large cities like New York and Los Angeles will definitely go up in a few years," Ying said. The home is an investment, but he's also planning long-term: He hopes his 5-year-old son might use it if he goes to college in the United States. And that's not all they're buying. Check it out here.

Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Spending

2009-02-15T10:29:00.002-05:00

DEBT is a huge problem, for some people a great deal more than for others. Yet despite reams of literature on the topic, some important guidance is missing.

Researchers at the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago reviewed patterns of debt acquisition for adults born between 1957 and 1984, and what they found in this long-running survey was startling.

Regardless of age, those who were in debt early in the survey were more likely to be in debt five or 10 years later — and their debts were likely to have grown. By contrast, those who started out with no debt of any kind were less likely to have any five or 10 years later.

Borrowing money to buy a home or a car, or to complete an education, might be necessary. But carrying credit card debt for months or years is a red flag signaling that you can’t afford your life. The cycle is a brutal one. You can’t afford your life, and thus fall into debt; so how can you afford to pay your way out of it while still living your life? More here.

How Google Decides to Pull the Plug

2009-02-15T10:17:00.002-05:00

GOOGLE recently set the blogosphere abuzz by announcing that it was pulling the plug on several products.

The victims included Lively, a virtual world that was Google’s answer to Second Life; Dodgeball, a cellphone service aimed at young bar-hoppers who wanted to let their friends know where they were hanging out; Catalog Search, which scanned paper product catalogs so they could be searched online; and Notebook, a simple tool that allowed people to take notes on Web sites they had visited.

Google also said it would stop actively developing Jaiku, a microblogging service similar to Twitter, and instead turn it over to its users as an open-source project they could tinker with as they wished.

What’s that, you say? You don’t care? You couldn’t tell a Jaiku from a haiku, and the last time you thought about dodgeball was in elementary school gym class? More here.
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Director of Search Engine Optimization?

2009-02-15T09:39:00.002-05:00

A COLLEGE internship at an interactive marketing company ended up the ticket to a promising career for Nick Yorchak, 22. During the internship, he learned a skill known as search engine optimization. In August, he was snapped up by LeeReedy Creative, a public relations and advertising agency in Denver, and given the title of search engine optimization director.

“So much for everyone asking me what kind of job a history major could get,” said Mr. Yorchak, who graduated last June from the University of San Diego.

The birth of the Internet gave rise to jobs in areas like Web development and design. And as companies and consumers flocked to the Web, jobs in Internet marketing soon followed. Search engine optimization, part of Internet marketing, is what companies use to drive traffic to Web sites in the hope that consumers will buy a product or service, for example, or subscribe to a publication. More here.