Comments on: 2009 In One Word? – Vampires http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2009/11/25/2009-in-one-word-vampires/ Changing HR one post at a time. Sat, 31 Jul 2010 22:34:28 +0000 hourly 1 By: Top 10 HR Developments of 2009 | Blogging4Jobs http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2009/11/25/2009-in-one-word-vampires/comment-page-1/#comment-20652 Top 10 HR Developments of 2009 | Blogging4Jobs Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:42:01 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=207#comment-20652 [...] businesses, job seekers, and people in general would like to forget.  In short, 2009 pretty much sucked.  I’d like to think we are better for it.  I’m certainly a believer in that saying [...] [...] businesses, job seekers, and people in general would like to forget.  In short, 2009 pretty much sucked.  I’d like to think we are better for it.  I’m certainly a believer in that saying [...]

]]> By: David Paktor http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2009/11/25/2009-in-one-word-vampires/comment-page-1/#comment-20205 David Paktor Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:41:57 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=207#comment-20205 Believe me, receiving Unemployment Compensation is no disincentive to accepting a job or being available for one. It is a humble pittance, not sufficient to keep body and home together (to say nothing of wheels...) Nobody who is receiving Unemployment Compensation finds it a satisfactory situation or an adequate substitute for having a decent job in their chosen occupation. They are desperate enough as it is... Extending Unemployment Compensation is throwing a flotation-pillow to drowning masses, and is no barrier to filling open job orders. To find the real barriers, look instead to hiring managers who ask for candidates with four wings and tortoise-shells who can walk on the moon — and believe they can get them — and when presented with perfectly well-qualified candidates who are merely mortals, will hold out on making an offer or will "rescope the position". You — and I don't mean just you personally, but everyone in the recruiting industry — will continue having a hard time filling open job orders unless you can convince the Hiring Managers to behave more realistically and rationally. In "Predictably Irrational", Dan Ariely illustrates many kinds of commonplace weird self-defeating behavior. One that comes to mind here: A person shopping for a digital camera finds two that meet the criteria; both are very similar with only tiny differences. Often, that person will agonize over the minutiae for a month or more before making a choice, instead of picking one or t'other arbitrarily, and will, consequently, lose a month or more of picture opportunities. Similarly, I have seen companies keep a position open for months, searching for the "perfect" candidate — rejecting "merely adequate" candidates — while the work remains undone. If you can convince the HM's to take a more realistic view, you'll be doing us all a favor! Believe me, receiving Unemployment Compensation is no disincentive to accepting a job or being available for one. It is a humble pittance, not sufficient to keep body and home together (to say nothing of wheels…)

Nobody who is receiving Unemployment Compensation finds it a satisfactory situation or an adequate substitute for having a decent job in their chosen occupation. They are desperate enough as it is…

Extending Unemployment Compensation is throwing a flotation-pillow to drowning masses, and is no barrier to filling open job orders.

To find the real barriers, look instead to hiring managers who ask for candidates with four wings and tortoise-shells who can walk on the moon — and believe they can get them — and when presented with perfectly well-qualified candidates who are merely mortals, will hold out on making an offer or will “rescope the position”.

You — and I don’t mean just you personally, but everyone in the recruiting industry — will continue having a hard time filling open job orders unless you can convince the Hiring Managers to behave more realistically and rationally.

In “Predictably Irrational”, Dan Ariely illustrates many kinds of commonplace weird self-defeating behavior. One that comes to mind here: A person shopping for a digital camera finds two that meet the criteria; both are very similar with only tiny differences. Often, that person will agonize over the minutiae for a month or more before making a choice, instead of picking one or t’other arbitrarily, and will, consequently, lose a month or more of picture opportunities.

Similarly, I have seen companies keep a position open for months, searching for the “perfect” candidate — rejecting “merely adequate” candidates — while the work remains undone.

If you can convince the HM’s to take a more realistic view, you’ll be doing us all a favor!

]]> By: Malea Booker http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2009/11/25/2009-in-one-word-vampires/comment-page-1/#comment-19675 Malea Booker Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:37:17 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=207#comment-19675 This rings so true. I understand how terrible our unemployment is, but the fact is that I have 70 open job orders that I am trying to fill. It seems to me that people need to be open for change and if that means relocating, then you have to do what you have to do. As long as Obama extends unemployment, I'm sure I will still have a hard time filling my open job orders. This rings so true. I understand how terrible our unemployment is, but the fact is that I have 70 open job orders that I am trying to fill. It seems to me that people need to be open for change and if that means relocating, then you have to do what you have to do. As long as Obama extends unemployment, I’m sure I will still have a hard time filling my open job orders.

]]> By: laurie ruettimann http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2009/11/25/2009-in-one-word-vampires/comment-page-1/#comment-19671 laurie ruettimann Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:13:42 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=207#comment-19671 How awesome that you thought of vampires. When I think of the vampire craze, I think of this post: http://www.esquire.com/features/thousand-words-on-culture/vampires-gay-men-1109 How awesome that you thought of vampires. When I think of the vampire craze, I think of this post:

http://www.esquire.com/features/thousand-words-on-culture/vampires-gay-men-1109

]]> By: Trish McFarlane http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2009/11/25/2009-in-one-word-vampires/comment-page-1/#comment-19668 Trish McFarlane Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:56:24 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=207#comment-19668 Thought for a moment you were going out on a limb, but the vampire theme makes sense. 2009 sucked for many and HR is definitely not 'undead'. Speaking about many HR pros I know, I'd say we (shockingly) live up to some additional vampire characteristics. Let's run through a quick checklist: *So, vampires are mysterious and wear mostly black. Well, we are definitely the mysterious secret keepers of the company, so (CHECK) *Vampires are soulless creatures. While I know those of us in HR know we are not soulless, I bet if you asked anyone who was laid off this year, they might answer that differently, so (CHECK) *Vampires have the ability to read a victim's thoughts. Minus the "victim" title, I'll say that good HR pros have an uncanny ability to read people, so (CHECK) * And, vampires have unnatural speed. Who else in the company can juggle payroll deadlines, I-9 compliance, visas, recruiting, exit interviews, compensation etc? Pretty fast paced HR world we live in, so (CHECK) On a fun note, I recommend a series of vampire books for the ladies http://www.maryjanicedavidson.net/betsy.html. It's about a 30 something recently "undead" vampire who is unwed and unemployed. Fitting. Nice post. Bring on 2010! Thought for a moment you were going out on a limb, but the vampire theme makes sense. 2009 sucked for many and HR is definitely not ‘undead’. Speaking about many HR pros I know, I’d say we (shockingly) live up to some additional vampire characteristics. Let’s run through a quick checklist:

*So, vampires are mysterious and wear mostly black. Well, we are definitely the mysterious secret keepers of the company, so (CHECK)
*Vampires are soulless creatures. While I know those of us in HR know we are not soulless, I bet if you asked anyone who was laid off this year, they might answer that differently, so (CHECK)
*Vampires have the ability to read a victim’s thoughts. Minus the “victim” title, I’ll say that good HR pros have an uncanny ability to read people, so (CHECK)
* And, vampires have unnatural speed. Who else in the company can juggle payroll deadlines, I-9 compliance, visas, recruiting, exit interviews, compensation etc? Pretty fast paced HR world we live in, so (CHECK)

On a fun note, I recommend a series of vampire books for the ladies http://www.maryjanicedavidson.net/betsy.html. It’s about a 30 something recently “undead” vampire who is unwed and unemployed. Fitting.

Nice post. Bring on 2010!

]]> By: akaBruno http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2009/11/25/2009-in-one-word-vampires/comment-page-1/#comment-19664 akaBruno Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:36:34 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=207#comment-19664 How would the HR vampire react to garlic flavored bacon? How would the HR vampire react to garlic flavored bacon?

]]> By: Steve Boese http://inflexionadvisors.com/blog/2009/11/25/2009-in-one-word-vampires/comment-page-1/#comment-19663 Steve Boese Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:36:33 +0000 http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/?p=207#comment-19663 Great analogy for 2009, Mark. I heard this morning that not only was 2009 one of the worst years on record, that the entire decade was probably right up their in the 'worst decade' list. The Sept 11 attacks and the economic meltdown as bookends to a sort of 'lost' decade. Let's hope and strive to make 2010 the year it starts turning around. Great analogy for 2009, Mark. I heard this morning that not only was 2009 one of the worst years on record, that the entire decade was probably right up their in the ‘worst decade’ list. The Sept 11 attacks and the economic meltdown as bookends to a sort of ‘lost’ decade.

Let’s hope and strive to make 2010 the year it starts turning around.

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