Credit reports

Many people have a few blemishes on their credit history, but few job candidates are aware that a low credit score can prevent them from getting a job. It is becoming increasingly important for job candidates to polish and protect their credit scores in the same way they do their grade point averages and other [...]

First things first… and last

Your audience is most likely to remember what you say first, and what you say last.
Learning how to communicate effectively is essential for your career growth. What good are your ideas if you can’t communicate them? Whether it’s your presentation to the to the executive board, your two-minute elevator pitch, or an interview.
In her research [...]

The Myth of “Who You Know”

We’ve all heard the admonition: “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.”
Indeed, a recent Hudson Survey found that more than half of all employees found their current job through someone they know, suggesting that it does in fact boil down to…
Who you know.
I’ve heard many job seekers complain that “It’s all about who [...]

Customer service

Seth Godin has an itriguing proposal in his blog today, suggesting that customer service move from real-time to asynchronous service. He writes:
“I think the single factor that is killing this process and that is under the company’s control is this: the desire to perform all customer service in real time.
In fact, most customer service can [...]

President’s Day #2

In honor of President’s Day, I’d like to share some of George Washington’s wisdom from his own words:
“Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation. It is better be alone than in bad company. “
“Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and [...]

President’s Day

In honor of President’s Day, I’d like to share some of Abraham Lincoln’s wisdom from his own words:
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
“The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we [...]

The Value of Work

Interesting quotes by Peter Robinson, former speechwriter for Ronald Reagan:
“The value of work lay not in the kind of social position it provided or, beyond the obvious need to cover the bills, in the amount it paid. The value of work lay in allowing you to develop your talents and build up your character.”
“Work is [...]

Anomoly

Virgin America has a new business partner — a two-year-old upstart ad agency aptly called Anomoly. The agency did not win the contact by pitching a traditional marketing campaign of slogans and 30-second commercials. Instead, the agency offered to “partner” with Virgin America by offering product design, strategic consulting, and other services in exchange for [...]

Wannateam?

Thanks to DUST!N for drawing my attention to this site, an online whiteboard where people can move letters around. After a mind-numbing few minutes of watching this insanity, it occurred to me that this a perfect example of art immitating life. The process reminds me of how we often behave in meetings and on project [...]

The Profane Leader?

Profanity in the workplace used to relegated to dimly-lit smoke-filled testosterone-raging boardrooms, but has become more mainstream in recent years. Call me old-fashioned, but this strikes me as an unfortunate trend. Those who habitually curse and swear are not gaining respect and influence as they might imagine, and may in fact be hurting their careers. [...]