Reflections on 9/11: Fifteen Years Later

  Today is the 15th Anniversary of 9/11. It’s a pivotal moment in our nation’s history; one that continues to have a significant impact on our lives. Everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing on that day when they heard the planes flew into the World Trade Center in New York City.[…]

No Budget, No Problem: Creative Recruiting Tools

  My Top 3 Free Recruiting Tools I recently spoke with a client who told me her CEO told her to spend whatever it took to hire the right person. However, the CEO’s definition of “spend whatever it takes” didn’t mean an unlimited budget. It turns out that “spend whatever it takes” meant not spending[…]

3 Lessons from a Demolition Project

On a Saturday morning in July, with a heat index close to 100 degrees at 7:00 a.m., a group of seven men, three young boys, and one women (me) came together to demolish a burned out mobile home. The county was pressuring the owner to demolish the home and the owner had no insurance or[…]

How You Sabotage Your Ability to Hire Top Candidates

Let me tell you the story of my first job interview that took place more decades ago than I care to admit — because I simply can’t be that old. I wanted that job so badly because I had heard how great it was to work there. I’ll be honest, though; I was as scared[…]

The Top 7 Business Building Lessons I Learned From Dad

  Remember when you learned to ride a bicycle? I was so excited to finally get those training wheels removed and join the older kids. Once those wheels came off, there was no turning back; I would be a big kid. And yet, a part of me was still afraid. You know, that little voice[…]

David vs. Goliath: Leveraging Your Small Business to Recruit Top Candidates

For a small business trying to recruit high quality candidates, it can seem like David battling Goliath. The good news is that your small business can hire top candidates without spending thousands of dollars on employer branding, recruiters, or advertising. Small businesses have a great opportunity to hire some of the best people on the[…]

5 Tips to Attract Your Ideal Candidate and Reduce Resume Spam

“I love spam,” said no one ever. We use spam filters to keep unwanted messages out of our inbox. However, we fail to keep those unqualified resumes from appearing in our inbox by using effective spam filters. (Even if you use an automated system, you are still getting spammed.) Imagine how much easier finding your[…]

How You Can Avoid My Ten Rookie Hiring Mistakes

Although it’s been a couple of decades, I still remember my first hire. In those days, I was definitely not an expert. When I think back to those days, I have to smile because I was so naïve about the hiring process. Fortunately, I had a mentor who patiently taught me, and I learned the[…]

Why You Need to Wear Your Bathrobe in Public

My bathrobe is soft, warm, and best suited for a cold winter day and a hot cup of coffee. Yet it was over 90 degrees, and I wore my bathrobe in public. Not Walmart-public, but more public than the privacy of my home. You’re probably thinking I’ve gone off the deep end, but I assure[…]

HIRING LESSONS FROM THE GAMBLER

“If you’re going to play the game, boy you gotta learn to play it right,” sang Kenny Rogers in his song The Gambler. This song popped into my head as I ate lunch in a restaurant while observing two families with small children who had very different definitions of good behavior for their children. In[…]