Talent Tips: All Levels
Talent Tip #44: Liar Liar, Pantalones en Fuego!
April 18, 2013
I love a good story — especially if there is a good lesson we can draw from it. That’s why I wanted to share this tale I just heard from a friend.
A gentleman recently applied for a job with my friend’s organization. During the application process, the candidate was asked to provide his current and desired salaries.
He provided the following figures:
Current: 85k*
Desired: 97k*
Fair enough, right? Of course, we can debate the 14% desired increase, but…
Read MoreTalent Tip #43: Rejection (Im)Perfection: The Art of Second Chances
March 19, 2013
We’ve all been rejected at some point along the way. Perhaps you got cut from the football team or didn’t make the cheerleading squad. Maybe you received a thin letter of rejection from your dream school. Or perhaps in college you were shunned by the hot and completely unattainable Dale Beaverman.
No matter what it was, you remember clearly that sting of rejection. It hurts. It’s embarrassing. It’s unsettling. And when it happens, we’re tempted to lash out.
But…
Read MoreTalent 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.”…
Read MoreTalent Tip #41: Work-Life Balance Policies, Part II: A Key to Attracting and Retaining Talent
January 22, 2013
As the fog of Auld Lang Syne and bubbly lifts, you may remember that last month in this space we offered up valuable advice about work-life balance from the good folks at Illinois Policy Institute. The underlying idea was that work-life balance policies help organizations attract and retain their most valuable asset – people.
This month we’re sharing eight more policies an organization should consider if it wants to maximize staff happiness and performance.
Once again, special thanks to Kristina Rasmussen, Executive Vice President of Illinois Policy…
Read MoreTalent Tip #40: Work-Life Balance Policies: A Key to Attracting and Retaining Talent
December 18, 2012
Great news – turns out you’re on Santa’s “Nice” list this year! That means instead of coal, you’re getting something very special: valuable advice about work-life balance from my good friends at Illinois Policy Institute.
At the Institute, they value work-life balance and are always experimenting with new approaches and policies to attract and retain their most important asset – people. Kristina Rasmussen, the organization’s Executive Vice President, recently polled staff about what matters to them when it comes to work-life balance. She distilled the…
Read MoreTalent Tip #39: 80% of Success is Just Showing Up: Landing a Job in Another City
November 13, 2012
I often work with candidates who want to move to a specific city, but they don’t want to relocate until they have landed a job.
And therein lies the rub.
In any market, and especially in a down market, securing a position in another location is very challenging.
Why? Several reasons spring to mind.
It’s all about the Benjamins. Organizations don’t necessarily have money lying around to pay for a flight/hotel for out-of-town candidates. If they do have the budget… Read MoreTalent Tip #38: Tips for Talking About Salary
October 16, 2012
If my candidates are any indication, talking about salary is one of the most dreaded conversations one can have — second only to perhaps “the birds and the bees” discussion with your child.
The question I get most frequently is, “How do I respond when an organization asks for my salary requirements?”
Fear not, my friends, I’ve put together some advice to make the process painless.
Be Prepared – If you’re applying for a job, you’re going to get asked about salary somewhere along… Read MoreTalent Tip #37: Mom Knows Best: Proofreed Proofread
September 17, 2012
My mother was an English teacher. Growing up in our house involved lots of mini-grammar lessons, Oxford commas, and endless streams of red ink on papers. It might sound torturous for a kid, but even then I realized how valuable the guidance was.
This is probably why I cringe when I receive a cover letter or résumé with an error. Or two. Or three.
The errors that could have been avoided by using Spell-Check are the ones that drive me to drink.…
Read MoreTalent Tip #36: The Art of the Interview
August 14, 2012
I had the distinct pleasure of spending much of last week with 80 amazingly bright and talented Koch Summer Fellows. We bonded over the art of interviewing.
For most, interviewing conjures the same excitement as a root canal or watching a movie marathon on Lifetime. But the Koch Summer Fellows made interviewing an absolute delight. We went through dozens of mock interviews and lots of discussion about what makes for a good interview.
I wanted to share with you several…
Read MoreTalent Tip #35: Traditions Worth Keeping: Play Like a Champion Today, Bun Runs, and Résumés
July 17, 2012
My beloved alma mater, Notre Dame, is rich with traditions. One of the better known is the tradition of football players slapping the “Play Like a Champion Today” sign in the locker room as they head out to the field. Yeah, yeah…maybe the sign has been broken the last few years.
One of my favorite displays of Notre Dame tradition comes at the end of football games when students put their arms around each other and sway as they sing the alma…
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