I have always been fascinated by the concept of time as currency. I calculate that without any surprises (hitting the lottery or by a bolt of lightning, etc.), I have between 1,600 to 2,000 days left of meaningful time to work. That sounds like a lot until I figured out that I have spent nearly 9,000 days already. So, my …
How You Quit Your Job – Things That Make Me Go Hmmm…
I love the dance that begins once someone has accepted your offer and you’re now talking about a start date in the new role. Especially if they’re employed. Here are the usual intervals and what they mean to me. I’m sure you’ve got some adjustments to these definitions: For Those Currently Working: –No Notice Needed, I can start in under a …
The Ticking Time Bomb of U.S. Retirements
John Vlastelica, the founder of Recruiting Toolbox, was recently in Japan for work and posted a bunch of cool learnings on Facebook about a major problem Japan is facing regarding their aging population. Japan has a crisis on their hands and the U.S. isn’t far behind: Japan’s population is living extremely long with the most citizens over 100 in the …
You Lowballed Your Candidate and He Accepted #MerryChristmas
Merry Christmas. Can we still say that? Happy Holidays if that term is not allowed. But I digress… Candidates decline offers, hiring managers do irrational things, but sometimes a hiring manager can lowball an offer to a candidate ($20K or more, less than expectations) and get them to accept. If you are the hiring manager with a tight budget, this …
Giving a Christmas Bonus So Employees Don’t End Up Feeling Like Clark Griswold
The more holiday seasons I work, the more I feel like Clark Griswold. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, the character certainly will. It’s the role Chevy Chase played numerous times, but most memorably in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. A major plot point was how Clark was anxiously waiting to hear how large his Christmas Bonus was going to …
A Hidden Pool of Talent That None of Us Think of!
There’s a restaurant in Minneapolis called All Square. They make square grilled cheese sandwiches. They do not have any problems finding employees! Why? They only hire people who have been formerly incarcerated. Yes, you just read that correctly. They ‘only’ hire people who have spent time in prison for committing a crime. You know how you and I won’t hire someone …
Tim Sackett Warns to Be Careful What You Incentivize
I’m fascinated in how we compensate and incentivize employees. Not the actual process, but the decision-making process behind the what and how we do it. In my experience, how this usually goes is a two-level process: First Level: Someone has a hunch, or it’s being done this way somewhere else. Second Level: Someone in compensation searches for data to justify …
If You Want Me To Stay, Show Me The Money.
Last week The Wall Street Journal reported a 17-year high for folks leaving their roles to take new positions this year. This comes with reports of 30 percent plus increases for those in executive and management level roles. The average annual increase for employees this past year across all organizations in the USA is under 4 %, with promotions less …
I Love This Place! …Wait, I Got Screwed!?!?
You found a new gig and you’re excited about it. During the interview process, you developed immediate chemistry with the hiring manager/now boss, so much so that you decided to take a bit of a risk. You would have liked to receive a bigger offer, but you’ll make this work. Okay, so maybe it was a little disappointing that it …
Not a Whole “Lotto” Thought Went Into That Decision, United
You’ve all read about United Airlines replacing bonuses with a lottery and trying to tie it to their Core4 mission to become “known as the most caring airline in a highly-competitive industry”. It didn’t go over so well. In fact, it crashed and burned. The announcement was made public on a Friday, and by the following Tuesday United announced they …