In July 2008, I took my first "workation". I spent 9 days in Florida (had only planned on spending 5 days) and worked 4 of them remotely. It was a refreshing way for me to change the scenery and get...
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Job Hunting Near Graduation
Q: I'm finishing college in May; when should I begin searching for a job?A: When I was finishing college, the old adage was "for every 10,000 you hope to make, allow 1 month of job searching." I began the...
New Year’s Day Scheduling
I was talking to some friends the other day about how to schedule your staff for New Year's Day if your business is open. It brought to mind one of my New Year's Day experiences back in the day.We had...
Pay and Pay-tience
Tim Ferriss, in his book The Four Hour Workweek, talks at length about focusing more on the customers and people who bring you in the greatest good for the least amount of work. Likewise, this concept can be applied in...
Old Year’s Resolutions
A new year is upon us later this week, but why wait until the new year to begin your resolutions?Between Christmas and New Year's Day, many are off from work, but many aren't. It's a great time to put into...
Answering Machines and Email Addresses
It never ceases to amaze me what people have on their answering machines. This past week alone, I heard three voice messages of people who really need to change their approach. Two of the voice messages said "please hold on...
Managing Holiday Time Off and Time On
A difficult concept for many managers to understand is how to manage the flow of people and resources during the holidays. This is especially true in retail, where the ebb and flow of business over the holidays is critical...
HR in Baseball – The “Rule 5” Draft
In baseball, the Rule 5 draft allows teams to pick up players from other teams who have high potential but aren't getting the opportunity. Wikipedia states that "The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young...
Certifications and Credentials
In talking with several members of the local community, a common theme emerged around certifications and credentials; they are becoming even more valuable than ever before.Once you finish a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD program, education doesn't have to end. Many...
Worst Experiences in Hiring – Reader Submission
Here is a submission from the writer of Monday's submission, WK, who also wanted to share his worst experience in the hiring process."My worst experience was for my first job (at a retail store). The interview was set up when...