Blog: Peter Difilippantonio

During the course of a given week or month, I speak and meet with employers of all different sizes and types.  While they differ in numerous ways - size, industry, product suite, locations, etc - they all have one thing in common: they have people working for them.  And those employees have something in common as well: they are just aching to quit.

That's right - a sizable chunk of your employees are showing up to work every day, doing their jobs, then going home and polishing up their resume, connecting with friends, clients (your clients), and other contacts to figure out the best time and method of making their exit.  Many are going to school at night or online in order to set themselves up for their departure from your organization.

Why?  It's pretty simple - they've been held hostage by the economy.  We've seen turnover rates drop to record lows over the last two years.  Every organization has a natural or "normal" turnover rate; it's just different from company to company.  And the chances are that your current turnover rate is less than half what it was just two years ago.  That's a dream scenario for owners, managers, and HR professionals, but it represents a potential nightmare for employees.

Look back at my previous blog about the lessons I've learned in the past nine years here at Jobing.com and you'll see why.  Many of your employees get up and come to work because they must.  That is, they need to eat and working for you is better than whatever else is available out there right now - or unemployment.  So they show up dutifully, do their jobs well, and go home to wait it out.

More specifically answering the "why do my people want to quit?" question is this: there are always people in your organization who want to leave but, in today's economy, they have nowhere to go but the unemployment office.  So the ones who would normally leave are staying...at least until they can find the bigger, better deal.  Then they will be gone.

I present you with this statistic from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): the "quit rate" - that is, the number of people voluntarily resigning their positions - has dropped by nearly 30% in the year from August 2008 to August 2009, from 1.8% per month to 1.3% per month.  Measure that against the quit rate in 2005 through 2007 (about 2.2% per month) and you get a 41% decrease in the raw number of voluntary resignations. 

That means if you had an average turnover rate of 23.4% (the average across all industries in 2006) then your turn rate is now less than 10% - a very favorable condition for an employer.  But that also means that over half the people who normally would have left are sticking around. 

That may or may not be good for your company, but for the sake of this blog, I will argue specifically that the possibility of mass exodus of top talent when things improve is more dangerous than the risk of keeping a few "wrong people" on the payroll today.  That's an entirely different blog, as is the "but I only keep them on because I need someone to do the work or I'd fire them" blog.

To put this all in raw numbers, if you employ 50 people and have an average turnover of 23.4%, you generally lose/replace 12 people a year voluntarily.  It's been two years, so you would have lost 24 people by now (in a "normal" world).  If this economic mess starts to clear up - and there are growing indications that it already is - you could be in a world of hurt with nearly HALF your workforce walking at the first chance they get.  Even if you only had a 5% turnover rate, you would have lost 6 people by now...and that's over 10% of your total headcount - still a potentially devastating number if you're already bare-bones like many companies are these days!

So what is an employer to do about it?  Here are a few ideas for you:

1) Start by identifying those you definitely wish to keep for the long term and make sure you connect and communicate with them regularly.  Find out where they are at, what they want and need, and do your best to meet those needs as an employer within the constraints of your resources. (Disclaimer: this is not to say you shouldn't be doing this with ALL your employees ALL the time.  I'm merely suggesting that you take protecting your top talent seriously and make it a priority.)

2) Consider soliciting and accepting genuine feedback from employees.  An anonymous survey including questions/statements like "I intend to stay here for the next 5 or more years" will give you a nice gauge.

3) Make sure you are treating ALL your employees with respect and creating a fun, challenging place to work.  "Fun" doesn't have to mean all play and no work.  However, studies show that putting a little effort into engaging your employees yields exponential results in the turnover and productivity realms. 

4) Make sure all your efforts are genuine.  If you've been an ogre of a boss for the last 18 months (privately laughing to yourself as you look at the P&L and thinking "AWESOME! Payroll costs haven't grown in almost 2 years!"), an all-of-a-sudden effort at employee engagement and retention will be seen as insincere and, most likely, will fail.

5) Begin to build a pipeline of potential replacements.  Yep, I said it.  Now is the time to re-start your recruiting machine.  While I will reserve the bulk of my reasoning for another article, I will share this:  talent has been so plentiful, at such depressed rates for so long that once the rush for talent starts there will be a talent vacuum unlike anything seen in decades.  Be prepared for it, because regardless of the efforts you make now, you will surely lose some of the "a" players you kept through this recession, and you will need to replace them before everyone else scoops up the best talent.  I know of a great, cost-effective recruiting resource if you are interested. 

I will leave you with the answer to a very important question that I am sure many of you have asked: "Why should I care about this?"  The answer is simple: economics and profitability.  Turnover is expensive, disruptive, generally unproductive, and often demoralizing.  Again, while I could (and do) argue that certain types and amounts of turnover are good for your organization, the turnover I'm referring to here is the mass loss of talented employees who have felt hostage to their jobs for the past two years.

All companies are built on human capital - people.  Without people, your business is nothing but a storefront with some product on shelves, a truck parked in a lot, or a website that never gets updated and eventually crashes.  Make sure you invest the proper resources so when the tide shifts - and it will - your best talent doesn't desert you en masse when you need it most.

Today marks the 9th anniversary of my joining Jobing.com.  Wow!  It’s been a wild ride with many highs and numerous lows.  I wouldn’t trade it for anything!  I’m just amazed I lasted this long…

You see, job longevity isn’t really fashionable anymore.  My grandparents’ generation typically worked for the same company for 20 or 30 years and then retired.  My parents’ generation typically worked for 2 or 3 companies in that same timeframe.   But the reality for my generation is that it just doesn’t seem to work like that anymore.  Most of my friends have held multiple jobs – even in just the past 5 years.    It’s what they’ve had to do to “get ahead” or “get away from that jerk boss I had.”  So, as I drove in to the office this morning, I began thinking about those 9 years and how I came to spend one quarter of my life at one company, bucking the trend.   As I examined the answer to that question, I found several great takeaway points for job seekers and employers alike.  While not an all-inclusive list, these are the biggest and most important.

1.     Deep, personal connection to the mission of the business – A large part of what attracted me to Jobing.com in the first place was our mission:  to connect local employers with local job seekers.  That’s a pretty important mission, and it’s the mission that I have dedicated the majority of my working life to.  In fact, I felt it so important that I took a sizeable pay cut to come to work for Jobing.com.

What Employers can learn from this – the majority of your employees don’t only show up for a paycheck.  They come to work (read: they leave their families and everyone they love each day) to perform meaningful work that aligns with their core values.  If your business exists solely to make YOU money, your turnover will be high and your recruitment efforts endless.  If, on the other hand, you have a clear mission and an ethical method to execute towards that mission, you will generate greater employee loyalty – even if you pay less than the competition.  See also: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. 

What Job Seekers can learn from this – you might be job hopping because all you’re looking at is a paycheck.  Why work somewhere for $10,000 a year more when you are miserable every day, hate your boss, or feel the mission and/or methods of the business are completely incongruent with your personal core values?  Remember this:  people who are GREAT at what they do, be it actors, singers, athletes, sales people, janitors, post masters, truck drivers, customer service people, retail workers, or ditch diggers – all kinds of greatness – LOVE what they do and they BELIEVE in it.  Ultimately – and you might not believe me here – people who do what they LOVE invariably end up being GREAT at it and, subsequently, are far more likely to make the money they want to make doing it.  See also: Pursue the Passion.

2.     Total commitment to me, and freedom to fail.

I’ve been blessed with leaders who are fully committed to my success - so much so that I place the trust for my career in their hands without worry.  I know that at the end of the day, our management team believes in me and is 100% behind me even if I fail – and I have done so spectacularly at times.  I always learn from it and some of the lessons have been painful.  But I’ve never been truly fearful of my job when I fail while trying to do right by a client or our business.  (Note:  “freedom to fail”  does not justify incompetence or intentional failure)

What Employers can learn from this – Your employees watch every decision you make, much like your children watch and learn from everything you do or say in their presence.  Make sure they know you are committed to their success and helping them achieve their life’s goals, even those goals don’t fit neatly into your corporate policy manual.  Bigger than this, your employees are not robots.  They are human and they WILL fail – the only question is when and in what manner.  Heck, even robots break down.  Feel free to use failure of all types as a coaching opportunity and take the time to show the employee they have the freedom to fail so long as they learn and grow from it.  It’s a powerful trust building and employee loyalty tool – and the best part is that it is FREE!  See also:Stephen M.R. Covey The Speed of Trust.

What Job Seekers can learn from this – You cannot and will not be perfect in any job in which you serve.  I’ve been here 9 years and by many people’s accounts, I’m a functional expert within our company.  I still mess up.  Frequently.   And sometimes I question just how much of an “expert” I am.  But that doesn’t stop me from reaching for excellence or asking for help when I need it.  Get over your fear of failure and take some risks (within the rules of course!).  See also:  Jim Collins - Good to Great and my earlier blog What “never” is hurting your career plan?

3.     Opportunity to learn, grow, and earn.

As stated before, those who are employed within their core values, abilities, and talents, tend to perform far better and longer than those who simply choose a paycheck.  When I found Jobing.com, I was working for a good, stable company, making decent money,  and liked what I was doing.  What was missing was the opportunity for me to grow within the business – I get bored easily and require frequent challenges or changes, and I got more than I bargained for at Jobing.com!  Recognizing this need, my management has seen to it that I’ve served in several (8 if I count correctly) different capacities within Jobing.com in 9 years.  Sure that’s a little radical example, but we are, after all, a fast-growth company (having made it to the Inc. Magazine list of 500 fastest growing private companies in the U.S. 3 years in a row)  It’s been my pleasure to serve in each capacity through our start-up.  As we've grown, so have my level of responsibility and earnings.

I wanted opportunity.  I found it – and continue to find it – at Jobing.com.

What Employers can learn from this – challenge your best players frequently.  Allow them the freedom to roam a bit outside their “job description.”  Involve them in discussions that you normally would not involve them in – just to let them share their thoughts and opinions.  Charge them with special projects outside their area of responsibility – but within their areas of interest and excitement – and watch them deliver spectacularly!  See also:  Markus Buckingham First Break All the Rules.

What Job Seekers can learn from this – I don’t know of many people who say “I want to stay in this boring, dead-end job, never learn anything, and never be challenged at all.”  If you are one of those people, then skip the rest of this paragraph (or the blog for that matter) and get back to your TPS report cover sheets.  :)

For those of you still with me – opportunity abounds in a down economy.  Jobing.com launched only 1 month before the“dot com bubble” burst and a year before the start of the 2001 recession.  Less than 6 months later we were hit with 9/11 and we continued to grow and innovate.

Trust me - I know what "fear for your job" is.  I was the guy responsible for sales and service to our Hotel, Retail, and Restaurant sectors back then.  I just didn't let it paralyze me and I siezed the opportunity to really service my clients.

While jobs may be more scarce than they were a couple years ago, there are still HUNDREDS on Jobing.com right here in Houston.  You may also find this is a great time to beef up your skills or education to prepare you for the next step in your career, whether it is with your current employer or somewhere else.  Or, perhaps it might be time for you to start that business you've been thinking about.  Many incredibly successful companies were founded during recessions. 

In closing – it’s been a fabulously difficult, challenging, exciting, and invigorating nine years for me here at Jobing.com.  I intend to spend the next 9 here growing the business, leading and executing our strategy to fulfill our mission, and paying it forward to those who work with and for me here at this wonderful little home I’ve helped to build – Jobing.com.

My sincerest and deepest “ thank you” to Aaron, Brian M., Rebecca, Randy, Nicole, Brian E., Jon, Kristen, Gregg, my clients, family, friends, coworkers and all those who’ve made it possible and wonderful for me.  Here’s to another 9.

This past weekend I had the opportunity  to take my family out for a night of fun.  We decided we wanted to go bowling.  A couple of months ago – in the course of business - I had met with the managers of the AMF300 on Bunker Hill in Houston.  During that meeting I learned a lot about the bowling alley and what makes it unique, so we decided we would head over there and check it out.  But just HOW unique it was didn’t really settle in until we walked in and saw it in operation.

WOW!

Bowling alleys, as a whole, do not usually elicit the word “WOW!” or “AMAZING!” from me, but the AMF300 did exactly that.  From the high-class seating areas, to the vests and bow-ties of the servers, everything about this facility is top-notch.  Want an awesome steak burger?  They’ve got it.  Drinks?  They’re delivered to your table while you bowl.  (Did I mention the amazing steak burger?)  Want to have a private party?  You can rent out the 300 Club - private lanes in their own room with personalized service. 

And that got me thinking (as I often do) about how job seekers often overlook amazing employment opportunities.  Why do we overlook great opportunities?  There are as many reasons as there are job seekers, but I think there are a few that land at the top of the list:

1.        Ignorance.  “Ignorant” has earned a negative connotation in our society, but it simply means “not knowing.”  Not knowing what opportunities are out there will definitely hamper our ability to make the best career choices.

2.        Fear.  Fear of change is one of the deepest, truest, and most universal conditions we share as humans.  Fear keeps us from even looking or exploring the idea of “What is out there for me?” and it keeps us ignorant.  See point  1.

3.        Habit.  We’re all creatures of habit.  We like to do things a certain way and feel stress when something is out of order.  We’ve always worked in a given industry, type of job, or area of town, so we limit our possibilities to stay within that self-imposed set of boundaries.  See point 2.

4.        Misperception or unfounded bias.  “I’d NEVER work in a (insert your choice here)” is something most of us have said.  And that blank is different for each of us.

I, for one, can tell you I have never been excited about the prospect of working in a bowling alley.  Why?  Because I thought they are seedy, dirty, smoky places where foul-mouthed construction workers go to blow off steam (and trample guys like me)!  My bias was a combination of ignorance and misperception.  AMF 300, its employees, and its patrons bowled over all my misperceptions and I can tell you directly:  this would be a great place to work!

While I am INCREDIBLY happy with my employment situation, what I experienced on Friday night at the AMF 300 in Houston made me rethink how I view businesses and the employment opportunities they offer.  By opening my eyes to the possibilities, I just widened the scope of my potential career path.  You should do the same for whatever “never” is potentially hurting your career plan.

For more information about the AMF 300 visit http://www.3hundred.com/300houston

HAPPY NEW YEAR Houston!  I am so excited that 2009 is here (and 2008 is over) that I can hardly stand it.  Why am I so happy?  Because there is so much opportunity for us here in Houston in 2009! 

The National unemployment rate jumped from 6.7% to 7.2% - a half point jump - in just 1 month.  But here in Houston, our rate stayed relatively unchanged at 5.5% (up just a touch from 5.4% in October).  That means that Houston is weathering the storm far better than most other areas of the country - and that means GREAT opportunity for you.

I recently appeared on Great Day Houston on Channel 11 KHOU as a member of a panel of experts.  We discussed a lot of topics, but mainly focused on understanding where the market is, how you fit into it, and the resources availble to assist you.

Watch the video here:  http://www.khou.com/greatday/money/?nvid=321155&shu=1

Here are a few points that I did not get to make on the air:

1. If you are out of work, finding a job needs to be treated as a full-time job.  You won't find a job sitting at home watching Montel and eating Cheetos.  Get out there, hunt that job down and make it yours!

2.  Utilize ALL the resources you have at your disposal:

• Everyone you know should know you are looking for work and what type of work you are looking for.  Don't worry that so-and-so person "probably can't help."  You'd be surprised who people have contacts with and what they know when you open your mind and ask them for help.
• Resume -
  • You should not have only 1 resume, unless you are only looking for 1 very specific type of job.   (And even then, I would argue your resume needs to be tailored to each company you plan to submit to.)
  • Have your resume professionally reviewed.  Our friends at Workforce Solutions are employment experts who provide their services free of charge.  They have locations all over the city and can help you with a lot more than just your resume.
  • Make your resume relevant directly to the position you are applying to.  Having a "general" resume will "generally" land your resume in the round file...
• Internet -
  • Use at least 1 National employment website, 1 local website (Such as Jobing.com), and at least 1 industry-specific website.
  • Post your resume to as many reputable websites as you can find, being careful not to include information that should remain secure (such as your SSN).  Many employers are utilizing "resume search" services rather than post jobs.  If your resume is not posted, you cannot be found!
  • Be proactive.  Remember that jobs get updated on employment websites almost HOURLY.  So stay on top of it.
  • Save multiple resumes in your account, so that you can quickly adjust the closest one and apply to that "perfect" position you find.
• Job Fairs - a gathering of potentially dozens of companies that are ALL hiring!  That sounds like a place for you to be!  As it so happens, Jobing.com operates the largest Job Fair in the State of Texas (it's the 2nd largest in the U.S. - sorry, had to brag for a moment).  Our next event is February 3rd.  Pre-register online and get through the door quickly.
• Government resources -
  • Again, our friends at Workforce Solutions are a great place to start!
• Your prior employer - Were you part of a layoff?  Perhaps your former manager or coworkers know people they can connect you with.  (Just be tactful about calling them too often or during busy business hours)
• Your Myspace / Facebook page - yep.  That's right.  Remember those 500 friends you have on Facebook?  Going back to point #1 above, it's time to activate EVERYONE you know.

3. Set realistic goals and expectations.

• We are in a relatively tough economic environment right now.  So holding out for that $100k executive position while you collect your unemployment may be cutting off your nose to spite your face.  Consider taking a position that is better than unemployment, but not quite where you were before.
• If you receive the MAXIMUM unemployment benefits in the State of Texas, you will be receiving about $9.80 per hour, based on a 40 hour week....and it's taxed, so you don't actually receive the full amount!  Essentially, if you can find work for $10 per hour or more and it's relatively close to home, you're better off than being on unemployment.

4. Get your finances in order and maximize your cash income-

• Call all your creditors - Don't wait until your next mortgage or car payment is due to call the lenders.  They know what you are going through, and most of them have hardship programs to help you through this.  Tell them you lost your job and won't (or may not) be able to pay for the short term.
• Cut all unnessary expenses (and redefine what is "necessary")- Restaurants, cable TV, NetFlix (or any other subscription-based service that you don't have a contract for), laundry/yard/house cleaning services, etc...  Your Fantasy Football/baseball league is NOT a "necessity"!
• If your spouse is working, have them stop contributing to their 401K* for the short-term to help with cash flow.  Have them up their exemptions on their W-4 to minimize witholdings from their checks to help produce more cash (especially if you normally receive a refund at the end of the year!)
• Stop tithing* or giving cash donations*.  I know it sounds tough, but desperate times call for radical cuts in cash outlay.
• Hold a yard sale - it might be a good time to sell some of that stuff you've been stubbing your toes on for so many years!

* before you write me an angry note, remember I am just showing you everything you can do to help cash flow while you are in crisis mode.

5. Keep your chin up.  Protecting your attitude is what is going to enable you to go through all this stuff and still be able to smile about it all.  Losing a job - especially when it's no fault of your own - is always tough.  Just remember that "this, too, shall pass."

At the end of the day, if you are out of work then it's time to mobilize (to use a military word) and git 'r' done!!!

2008 is winding down and we’ve seen a lot of huge events that have affected us this year in Houston :

Hurricane Ike

Unemployment up 42% from April to October

Oil prices skyrocket, then plummet

3 inches of SNOW! (This is HOUSTON, right?)

While the recession has officially been declared as beginning last December, it took a while to reach us here in Houston .  As recently as this past April, our unemployment rate was at 3.8% - one of the lowest in the country, and the lowest in Houston since December of 1998!  Companies all around the area were scratching their heads at the break-neck speed of the change.

 

So, what is an HR professional to do when unemployment, sales revenue, and hiring needs are changing so quickly?  My advice is: breathe.  Relax just a little bit and remember that even at 5.4% unemployment, Houston is over 1 full point behind the National rate, and lower than Texas ’ State unemployment level.

 

Even in this uncertain economic environment, HR leaders need to keep their wits about them.  The great ones will be looking at this period of turmoil as a period of great opportunity!

 

Remember a few things during times like these:

 

• HR teams get their chance to really shine – and you better, since the spotlight is on everyone!
• Great companies will continue to invest in their human capital and have the chance to prove – once and for all – that their people are truly their greatest resource!
• There is a lot of great talent available.  Layoffs happen to even the best people when they are in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Now is the time for the savvy HR teams to snatch them up – often at much more affordable wages than in the boom times!

I’ll close with the analogy I used in my team meeting yesterday morning.  Imagine you are a surfer.  Your goal: catch the wave and ride it in.  But before the wave comes, you lay on your board and paddle like crazy.  You hardly get anywhere, yet you are using tons of energy for what little movement you get.  Then it happens…  the wave comes and off you go!

 

Houston hear me:  there is another great wave coming that will lift our entire community.  NOW is the time to start paddling.  Sitting around on the board just makes you attractive to a shark. 

So get out there and get paddling!  I want to ride the wave with you when it comes!

I just returned from the 2008 SHRM Conference & Exposition in Chicago and all I can say is: WOW!

The Jobing.com booth was over 8,800 square feet in size - the largest booth at the SHRM conference.  Unconfirmed reports have called it the largest booth EVER at an SHRM event.  The mega-size booth was staffed by over 110 of our AWESOME team members who made an incredible impact on the conference, our clients, and one another.

We often talk about passion as the key ingredient to our success.  What our team displayed at SHRM 2008 was nothing short of miraculous!

Thank you to all the wonderful Houston clients, partners, and friends who visited us in our Community at SHRM 2008.  You are the reason we do what we do, and the reason that Houston is the #1 place to live in the WORLD.

I'm a sales guy, and I am unapologetic about it.  In fact, I am very proud of my profession and I am pretty darn good at it.  Of course, I am saddened by many stories I hear of - and personal experiences I have with - individuals who presume to call themselves "sales professionals," but are nothing of the sort.  Anyone can get a job in sales, but that doesn't make one a sales professional.

There are a number of characteristics that are distinct among sales professionals, the most obvious of which is the percentage of time he or she spends talking during a sales call.  The lower the percentage, generally speaking, the better - or at least more consultative - the sales person.  But there is an often overlooked indicator that I'd like to share today: how they treat the receptionist (or the person who answers the phone or door in your business).

A "sales professional" understands that the person answering the phone or the door is a company insider; someone that knows more about the inner workings of that organization than the sales person does.  As a result, the true professional holds this person in high regard and treats them with respect if not reverence.

Ok, Peter, you've talked about sales people, but how does this relate to my employment search?  Glad you asked - the bottom line is that the "receptionist" holds the keys to the kingdom for you, whether you are a sales person or a person wanting to join the company.

Just as sales professionals understand that the person on the front line of any business - in this case the receptionist - is an insider with information they want, the best job seekers understand that this person is the first step in the interviewing process.

There are companies that instruct their front desk workers to pay close attention to the behavior exhibited by candidates as they wait for their interview.  Many organizations train their reception teams to engage the candidates, ask some questions, and get a feel for the person.  They can make or break the decision to hire you.  All they have to do is report that you were rude, discourteous, or otherwise not a fit and you're probably done.  Why?  Because these employees are trusted and you - the job seeker - are the outsider looking in.

In closing, it doesn't matter if you are applying to the janitorial department or to be the next Executive VP, each person you contact at a potential employer should be treated as if they - not you - are the one with the keys to the kingdom.  Those who fail to do so will remain among the ranks of the often unemployed.

All too often, recruiters and hiring managers project their own expectations onto the candidates we hire and we suffer from the Pygmalion effect as a result. That is, we expect certain behavior from certain "types of people" that "typically apply" to "this type of position." Why? Why limit ourselves (and the resulting talent pool) simply by projecting our expectations onto the job seeking public?

Truth be told, this mindset is sooooo 1990's. In the early days of Internet employment websites, it could probably be said that the most common job seeker online was white-collar, higher-income, or IT specific. The main reasons for this were the cost of computers and Internet service. But, even back then CNN reported that the fastest growing segment of Internet users were lower-income ones. Today, even laptop computers can cost as little as $500, and Internet service costs as little as $6.99!

Add to this the fact that just about every public library in the U.S. (definitely those here in Houston) has added free Internet access, and you have the perfect recipe for job seeker diversification. What do I mean by "job seeker diversification?" Glad you asked.

Today's Internet job seeker is not defined by any pigeon-hole classification. The online job seeker of today is as diverse as our great city and country! The U.S. is number 1 in terms of Internet usage in the World (total population) and #2 in terms of percentage of population using the net. 1 in 5 Americans subscribe to broadband Internet services (as of June 2007)- a fact that follows the popularity of video and online gaming.

With nearly 70% of the United States directly connected to the Internet, why would an employer feel like "their people" aren't on the net? Allow me to expand a little further.

Usually when I hear "my type of people are not on the Internet," one of two main subtexts emerges:

1. "The people I hire are not sophisticated enough / don't own computers." or
2. "The people I hire don't even speak English."

I'll speak to each of these separately. For any recruiter or hiring manager to pre-judge the level of "sophistication" of a job seeker based on the type of work/trade/skill/job they do is just silly. My father is a 61 year old pipe fitter / welder who uses the Internet daily for everything from shopping for coins for his collection to keeping in touch with family. My mother is a 57 year-old manufacturing worker who worked for Motorola for 30 years before taking early retirement. She then used the Internet to find her next job - bottling Gatorade for the Pepsi Bottling Group. (Oddly, her name is Shirley....And she works in a bottling plant...funny...) Neither of my parents fit the "Internet job seeker" stereotype that has somehow propagated its way through the collective minds of recruiting professionals.

Let me take it another step for you: Both of my brothers are truck drivers. One of them operates an online comic book store in his spare time. The other helps friends design websites. That's right: truck drivers.

My sister was a $7 an hour teacher's aide drawing food stamps and WIC. She could not afford a computer or Internet service, but she borrowed mine, my brothers', my parents', and her friends' connections all the time. In fact, she met her husband online - but that's another blog. :)

The point is, simply, don't label people just because you think something is true.

To those who throw point 2 at me I ask you this question: what if they could? What if you could hire people that spoke English and had at least basic computer skills? Wouldn't that benefit the long-term prospects of your business? I think it would for certain!

The bottom line is this: Regardless of what positions you hire for, if the average age of your potential employees is 35 or younger (and I'll bet it is), these people have essentially grown up around computers and pretty much have never known a world without the Internet.

Why would anyone eliminate such a huge portion of their potential applicant pool based on flawed  personal bias or stereotypes? I have no idea.

I'll leave you with this: If you think "your people" aren't on the Internet, I challenge you to open your mind and take a look at some of the jobs on Jobing.com, then reconsider who "your people" might be. We've got everything from carpet cleaning technicians and CNC machinists to hotel maintenance engineers and housekeepers for property management companies. And these are just a few quick examples I pulled up to include in this blog.

On balance, recruiting professionals do a fabulous job of shelving their personal bias.  There are those long-held beliefs, however, that sometimes seep into our subconscious and affect our conscious actions.  Thanks again for making Jobing.com the #1 local employment site in Houston - and a site that serves the ENTIRE Jobing Community.

One of the amazing things about my career is that I have had the opportunity to connect with literally thousands of talented hiring managers, recruiters, HR professionals, and business owners. In the nearly 8 years I've been at Jobing.com, I've learned many lessons from these great people. One of the biggest is "always have your hook in the water."

What does that really mean, though? It means this: we are in a war for talent and if companies are not constantly on the lookout for top talent, those companies will lose the war.

"But, Peter, we're in a hiring freeze!" or "We're not hiring right now." you say? I understand that. But let me propose you take a look at recruiting in a different light.

The typical recruiting scenario at many organizations looks/sounds/feels like this:

• Employee A resigns or is terminated
• Manager X walks over to/calls HR/recruiting and says something akin to "I need a/an (insert position here) ASAP!"
• Recruiter/HR person Y responds "I'll put the job on Jobing.com right away, but our next training class isn't until two weeks from now."
• Manager X freaks out, ranting about how the heck his department will accomplish the business goals they need to meet if Recruiting/HR is never ready for turnover.
• Recruiter/HR person Y apologizes and explains that ongoing recruiting "just isn't in the budget."

Here is the typical aftermath of such a short-sighted recruiting "plan" (term used loosely):

• Manager X walks out frustrated.
• Recruiter/HR person Y walks out frustrated.
• Business goals go unmet.
• Revenues suffer.
• HR/Hiring managers hire the first person they find that matches the basic requirements.
• Remaining employees and managers lose faith in HR and the Company.
• Employee satisfaction goes down.
• Turnover goes up.
• The process starts over

How many of you have experienced this? A lot of you I am sure, since I think I just heard a collective "amen!" go out across Houston.

Hiring freezes or full rosters are commonplace in business, so plan on them. But what would you do if the PERFECT candidate walked in your door today? Would you turn them away saying "sorry, we're on a hiring freeze"? Or do you think the boss would miraculously find a spot for them on the team?

In great organizations, business leaders are always - ALWAYS - on the lookout for the next great member of the team, regardless of whether there is an opening.  Just ask my friend of 17 years and coworker Rick Gonzales.

This is getting a bit long for a blog, but I want to share a quick personal story about how Jobing.com does exactly what I am suggesting.

My team here in Houston is currently full. However, I have my Inside Sales position posted and am accepting resumes and setting interviews. Why? Because I know that when our next growth spurt happens, I'll have a pipeline full of qualified, well-screened candidates that I am already familiar with and can begin the final selection process quickly.

Better yet - just a month ago I was filling the tank of my Jobing Mobile at a gas station near my home and the nice lady at the pump across from me asked "Do you work for Jobing.com?" and I said "Yes I do!" We began a conversation at that point, and I interviewed her a couple days later. Today, she's the newest member of my team and she's performing phenomenally.

The lesson in these stories is this: the supposed "cost" of ongoing recruiting is far outweighed by the true cost of not being prepared to hire. So my word to the wise is: always have your hook in the water. You'll never know when the perfect candidate will swim by.

Are you a military veteran making the transition back to civilian life?  Keep in mind that although many employers will be able to appreciate and use the skills that you bring to the table, they may not have the experience to understand military terminology, equipment names, ranking, or acronyms. 

If it is difficult for you to list your work experience without using the military terms above – consider writing your work experience using the terms for your first draft.  Then revise statements to align with civilian needs.  Examples of military experience that transfer well to civilian employer requirements are:  assets and budget management, training roles, people management (numbers of people and years of leadership), evidence of trust (clearances – etc.), and logistics experience. 

When writing this second draft consider removing any items/skills that would not be required for the job you are applying for (for example, except for positions that involve security, law enforcement, etc. – you will most likely not need to list training or skills that relate to marksmanship).

Good luck to you and Go Jobing!