Following up on last week’s interview post based on my new book Success for Hire, here’s what not to do if you want your interviewing exercises to result in strong and lasting hires! DON’T let first impressions get the better of you.  Sometimes, you might meet a candidate whom you decide you want to hire immediately, and will ...

My new book, Success for Hire (ASTD Press) features employee recruitment and retention practices that a lot of people think they know but in reality, don’t put into practice.  One of those practices is effective in-person interviewing, which can ensure that you hire the right candidate the first time around.  The next time you speak ...

In his bestsellers Brand Warfare and Career Warfare, author David D'Alessandro offered sharp advice for building a brand and building a career. His new book, Executive Warfare is the advanced class for the truly ambitious. The book covers what it takes to rise to the top-and to do the even harder thing, which is survive there.  In ...

I love this post from Michael McKinney at Leading Blog.  It’s based on a new book from Alvin Felzenberg, The Leaders We Deserved (and a Few We Didn't): Rethinking the Presidential Rating Game.  Felzenberg devised six criteria to best describe various U.S. presidents’ contribution to history.  Based on this exercise, he ...

So Bill Gates is preparing to retire as CEO of Microsoft. Gates and his childhood friend Paul Allen founded Microsoft on April 4, 1975, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to make and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800, an early computer that was sold to hobbyists. Gates dropped out of Harvard University in his third year to focus on ...

Admittedly, staying on HR’s good side is probably not at the top of your list of managerial priorities, but HR has the power to make your life easier…or very difficult.  Over at HR Capitalist, Kris Dunn has five great tips for how managers can make HR love them. You clearly communicate expectations.  Your employees understand ...

Last week, I participated on a T&D Magazine webcast with Bill Byham, the CEO of Development Dimensions International,  a leading human resources consulting firm.  It got me thinking about a great DDI white paper I saw recently written a white paper on the qualities that predict leadership success.  According to DDI, effective ...

One of my friends has been complaining that her team is running wild.    Much as I love her, I know that this is happening because when my friend took over the group a few months ago, she really wanted her new reports to like her, so she put up with a lot from them.  They would tell her they weren’t going to do an assignment ...

I frequently get asked about whether or not I recommend companies participate in job fairs to find qualified candidates.  But open houses are often a more effective means of initiating face-to-face contact with a large number of potential recruits.  In an open house, you invite candidates to an event at your organization’s offices or a ...

I’ve been spending a lot of time in doctors’ offices lately.  No, I’m not sick – just 36 weeks pregnant.  And having a doctor’s appointment at least once a week inevitably means that my productivity goes way down.  This is because one waits longer for a doctor than for any other professional, and even if you only see the doctor for ...