Talent Tips: Employees

Talent Tip #73: Turnover Turnaround: How To Keep Your Best Employees

November 17, 2015

Talent Tip #73: Turnover Turnaround: How To Keep Your Best Employees 

Last month we talked about the six most common reasons for staff turnover in the free-market nonprofit movement. Apparently, we struck a root.

My inbox was deluged with responses such as “Your list was spot on. I recently left my job for reason #4.” and “My best friend just quit his job for reasons 1, 2, and 5.”

While it was disheartening to read some of the emails, I…

Talent Tip #58: Working for Liberty: Think Like a Start-Up (or Why You Should Listen to Matt Warner at Atlas Network)

July 15, 2014

I recently got my paws on a great piece of career advice written by Matt Warner from Atlas Network. As with any gem related to working for liberty, I wanted to share it with you. It was written especially for those with a limited work history, but I think many of his points transcend experience level.

You Had Me At Hello

Matt had me hooked very early in the article. He writes:

“If you are starting your first job, or…

Talent Tip #56: We Recycle the Same Talent? Ah, Contraire, Mon Frère!

May 15, 2014

One of the lamentations I often hear from hiring managers in the free-market movement is “We recycle the same talent over and over.”

As they say in Yiddish, ah, contraire, mon frère!

Our movement is increasingly turning to other sectors to find individuals for critical roles.  Fun fact: 63% of Talent Market’s placements are from outside of the free-market nonprofit sector!

I take every chance I get to encourage clients to consider hiring from outside of our universe. Doing so…

Talent Tip #42: Recommendation Investigations, Your Reputation, Kiss Cams, and My Dream World

February 19, 2013

I know what you’re thinking. How in the Sam Hill is she going to tie all these things together? Well, stay with me.

In the last few weeks, I’ve seen some interesting things transpire related to recommendations, referrals, and references.  It occurs to me that there are three issues we should discuss. Here goes.

1. Recommendation Investigation: Is a Referral Necessarily a Recommendation?  Hiring managers often receive applications that start with lines like this, “My friend John Doe suggested I apply for this role.”…

Talent Tip #34: “I’ll Call You”: Rejecting Candidates After the Interview

June 19, 2012

Picture this sad scenario: a sweet, impressionable girl waits by the phone for a boy to call. They went on a date the week before, and he ended their date with these prophetic words: I’ll call you.

Of course, the boy never intended to call. It’s just that saying “I’ll call you” is a cleaner finale than “You’re a nice girl, but I’m not looking to get serious. I’d rather the fleas of a thousand camels infest my armpits than…