Interesting article from the Global CFO of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. He discusses the results of his firm’s survey regarding what Millennials (born January 1983 and forward) want to be when they grow up. It provides good insight as to what motivates this generation.
Category Archives: General Interest
How to Reinvent Yourself After 50
I serve on a Task Force that was assembled to address the issues related to “experienced” individuals (over the age of 55) who are seeking career advancement, placement and fulfillment as well as the increased demand by employers for qualified candidates. A fellow member of this Task Force emailed this Harvard Business Review article to me and I, in turn thought it was very worthwhile to share here.
Time For Talent Management
“Time for employee evaluations – again – oh this will be painful!” I know I’ve heard that comment, heck I’ve made that comment! No one looks forward to this process; it almost never goes as you would like whether you are reviewing or being reviewed.
Owners and managers console themselves by believing all employees care about is the “money” part of the review. But were you prepared to offer them any concrete feedback on performance and where they need to focus their development efforts? Was the salary increase and bonus the only specific feedback you had to offer? One of the keys to an effective review program (one that fosters employee development, motivation and retention) is no different than any other mission critical business activity – Planning!
At annual review time it is important to gather information from various sources – the observations file you should have been keeping all year, internal performance measurement systems, and industry/professional association compensation data.
Now for something new in your preparation – talk to those you trust to recruit new talent to your organization. No one knows better what the keys are to keeping top talent.
If your organization is fortunate enough to have a dedicated Director of Talent Acquisition shouldn’t they really be your Director of Talent Management and be involved in acquiring AND developing that talent. Many Human Resources Professionals are expected to be generalists and they engage a recruiter for specific talent acquisitions. Encourage them to have the type of recruiter relationship that adds value to your talent development and retention efforts as well.
The High Cost Of Hiring Badly
John Brandon writes on employment issues for Inc magazine and a recent column quantifies the exorbitant cost of making a bad hiring decision. Sometimes the hiring manager is overly impressed in an initial interview, sometimes a position needs to be filled so quickly that normal processes are suspended, or sometimes it is just a desire to move on other pressing matters. Whatever the reason(s), the resulting decision that “didn’t work out” can cost your company nearly a quarter-million dollars for even a mid-level mistake! Add in factors such as legal fees, severance pay, and/or outplacement services and the cost is over $800,000. If this is scary, read this article and slow down just a bit! Following a process that yields the best quality candidate is a sure way to get what you need AND save money in the long-run.
The Ego Trap Will Clamp Down On Your Career
Author Jen Shirkani writes in her book, EGO vs EQ, that there are eight common ego traps that will derail a leader’s career. No matter where you think you are in your career, your company probably expects you to show leadership traits… and it’s not just a perquisite for those in the C-suite. This article is a synopsis of Shirkani’s conclusions and is a worthwhile read for anyone at any level. 8 Common Ego Traps could be the reminder that keeps you grounded, focused, and even more productive in your career.
Perseverance – Another Perspective
Each one of us individually and our businesses as a collective has persevered during perhaps the worst economic period we will ever see in our working careers. Individually we all have a story to tell which I’m certain is compelling. Please click on this link to read what I believe is perhaps the most compelling story I have read in a very long time about personal perseverance.
You will see that the article is from the Summer 2013 issue of the Western Golf Association, Evans Scholars Magazine. Please click on the links above the article to learn more about how you can make more of these amazing stories of perseverance possible.
Resume Errors Get Laughs – At Your Expense
Think your resume is just perfect? Then why do 98% contain spelling, grammatical, and syntax errors? This article by Dixie Dean is a quick primer on common mistakes and how to avoid them. The tragedy is that while you made a few recruiters laugh or added some humor to a hiring manager’s bleak day, your resume ended up in the trash. Don’t Let CV Errors Make You A Laughing Stock is definitely a worthwhile reminder to take an extra look before you hit ‘send’.
Are You A Free Radical?
Scott Belsky is an entrepreneur and best-selling author who founded the online creative platform Behance, which he recently sold to Adobe. He is a much sought after speaker on the emerging patterns of work in the 21st century, and this article is an excerpt from his foreward to a new book, Maximize Your Potential. Belsky says that “free radicals” demand a lot of themselves AND their employers, expect their skills to be fully utilized, abhor ‘easy jobs’, and have little tolerance for bureaucratic friction or old-boy networks. With the increasing exit of baby-boomers from the workplace – and with it, the demise of “we always did it this way” mindsets – employers should be asking themselves important questions. Are you a free radical? Can you accommodate free radicals in your workplace? If not now, when? What advantages could be gained from embracing more free radicals? Belsky believes that free radicals are already changing the face of work and jobs, and organizations will foster dramatic innovation by accelerating their contributions. The Free Radical At Work is a worthwhile read.
Best Companies to work for…SAP Users
As Recruiters we are always asked about who are the best companies…And so I just found an announcement that might be helpful for those candidates looking for career opportunities in The Utilities Industry…SAP AG has just published it’s list of award winning Utilities for 2013. The list includes First Energy, Atmos Energy, Puget Sound Energy, and Centerpoint Energy. SAP AG says that these are the best-run Utilities because they have implemented innovative and sustainable practices based on SAP Software.
Here’s What Interviewers Really Want
This article is a good reminder of things you think you know, but all too often are forgotten in the heat of the interview process. I would recommend that you include it in your arsenal of interview preparation materials. It’s an informal – but very informative – easy read!