Here’s the thing about interviewing candidates, it’s an art. You can’t just hand your employees a list of questions to ask the candidate and expect that you’re going to get solid information. Sure, you might be able to do that in the early stages but the farther along the candidate gets the more likely it is that they are skilled …
One time Red Bull called out of the blue and offered me the chance to fly to California, have all the blood-pumping-energy beverage I guzzle into my greedy mouth, and interview for a position they wanted to create. I jumped on the opportunity. Not because I was trying to move to California to work for Red Bull (though I might …
The pressure to do a funny, inappropriate, informative post using the Olympics as my inspiration is literally causing me a stomach ache. I’m not sure why I’m getting so worked up over this because it’s not like anyone at FOT told me I have to talk about the Olympics, it’s just that I feel like the cool kids are doing …
Sometimes when I read about the perks being offered at power-house technology companies like Google, Zynga, and Facebook I roll my eyes and wonder when the one-upping is going to end. Isn’t that a terrible reaction?! I mean, I’m supposed to love when companies dole out the perks, add to their culture, and show employees that they’re the center of it all …
It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of corporate policies and that I think HR professionals like to create them as a way to manage a large number of people without ever having to leave the comfort of their desk chair – god forbid we give that seat cushion a break and walk around the office once in a …
If you’re the kind of manager who wants to make everyone happy, you might want to find a new position. Seriously. It’s not good for anyone. And while no one wants to work for a jackass, people do want to work for someone who is decisive, confident, and willing to do what it takes to make the best moves for …
Nothing makes me crazier than a corporate culture where it’s socially acceptable to show up to meetings late. When meetings start late, they typically end late, and that means another group of people are left waiting…for conference rooms to become available, for people to show up to their meetings, for interviewers to show up to interview a candidate. It’s such …
Five years ago. Damn. Five years ago today I was in a meeting with the President of my company when a police car flew by our office. Then a second, a third, and a fourth. And just as the two of us looked at each other with questioning looks on our faces, an employee flew through the door and told …
Companies love throwing surveys at their employees but it’s my guess that 95% of employee surveys aren’t even useful. I was recently helping a small business streamline their employee engagement initiatives and was on-site reviewing a specific survey they were using to gauge how their employees were holding up on each of their client projects. The questions, timing, and methodology …
I saw this post about the tree house Red Frog has in their office and I thought, “S*#t that’s awesome”. Having slides, play areas, toys, and amazingly designed offices is certainly the trend these days amongst companies that are serious about creating great places to work and there is good reason for it. Investing in an awesome office space draws …
