Steve Levy's Blog – February 2009 Archive (33)

Need interns? Try "NYC Ladders for Leaders"

I met Andre Joseph at a recent NYC meetup. He is the Deputy Director, Corporate Relations and leader for the NYC Ladders for Leaders Program.

Let me tell you about the program and why it is essential for metro NYC employers.

NYC Ladders for Leaders is a corporate internship program that was launched by Mayor Bloomberg… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 26, 2009 at 1:41pm — No Comments

My visit to Columbia University's ACM student chapter

After a day of uncertainty as to if I could even make it to the city (my gentle stomach was revolting) I traveled to Columbia University at the behest of the VP for Corporate Affairs for the student chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery to talk about careers… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 26, 2009 at 11:42am — No Comments

The Odd Couple: Recruiters and Politicians

NYC Mayor Bloomberg speaks about his plan to create 400,000 new jobs...I was shaking my head when he specifically noted that some of the new jobs will be good paying, many with benefits, jobs that could be created elsewhere. Woo-hoo, the recovery is around the corner.

Now I don't want to sound so flippant but its difficult not to when politicians - even Mayor Mike who knows a thing or two about business - speak so gallantly about job growth: It isn't as simple as… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 25, 2009 at 1:02pm — No Comments

Asking questions?

Seems as if LinkedIn Answers is highly cited in the recruiter space as the place where one can ask questions and receive answers from the enlightened ones. There are also Forums here as well as on ERE, the spawn of David Manaster's parents.

But for the job seeking, employment questioning, recruiter loathing bourgeois - actually questions about anything, there's Ask Metafilter. Being a recruiter, I enjoy reading questions and… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 25, 2009 at 7:00am — No Comments

The NY Post kills Wall Street pay packages!

...by paying outgoing News Corp President Peter Chernin a severance package worthy of the Wall Street folks they love to hate.

As part of Mr. Chernin’s severance contract, he will receive lucrative television and movie production deals with the company, as well as perks like a car and driver and the use of a private jet. He received a $34 million pay package last year, according to a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Mr. Chernin’s TV and movie deals… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 24, 2009 at 5:31pm — No Comments

Free drinks, now what?

Back to free drinks - can more jobs be far behind?

Added by Steve Levy on February 23, 2009 at 5:45pm — 1 Comment

Stiffing New York City

Our Governor Patterson is obviously blind to the strategic needs of New York state. While those influential to him live in upstate New York, the bulk of the revenue generation takes place downstate. So when I just read that the initial stimulus plan dollars will be going upstate, I had to scratch my bald head.

How will funding upstate New York bridge replacement, highway resurfacing and… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 23, 2009 at 3:48pm — 12 Comments

Recruiting an Archbishop

Imagine having this as a retained search...

The New York archbishop has been referred by the late Pope John Paul II as the "Archbishop of the world" in deference to the historically lofty position of the leader of the New York diocese. Considering that the Archbishop of New York is far more than a theological CEO - the outgoing Cardinal Edward Egan had to close a $48 Million budget deficit - this position is one that practically ensures the holder elevation to Cardinal and a far… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 23, 2009 at 7:15am — No Comments

Sometimes the bottom-line shouldn't be green

I was so busy making calls this week that I missed this article about sportsmanship.

Read it - please

Having been around recruiting since 1985 (I probably should stop giving indications to how old I am because of the… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 21, 2009 at 11:47am — 2 Comments

Bye-bye secret bank account

My how times are changing... you might have heard that UBS has agreed to pay $780 million in fines as part of an IRS investigation into the hiding of money offshore to evade taxes.

What rankles me is the suspicion that from late 2002 to 2007, UBS helped wealthy American clients illegally hide $20 billion, evading $300 million a year in taxes. Math time!

That would be… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 19, 2009 at 7:36am — 1 Comment

Fat New Yawkahs

Today, a Federal Appeals court upheld New York City's proposed regulation requiring chain restaurants with at least 15 outlets across the country to post calories on menus and menu boards. The rationale is that displaying such information is a reasonable way to curb obesity because it forces people to know… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 17, 2009 at 2:56pm — No Comments

Jobseekers aren't happy anywhere - so why torque them off even more?

When the NSA says that that personal instability caused by this greedy recession had become the biggest security threat facing the US, you know that employment is a really big issue. Read this article then ask yourself how you interact with jobseekers...

Three

Are you an old school soldier who believes command and control is your strategic response?

Are you the used car… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 15, 2009 at 12:11pm — No Comments

Welch's recruiting philosophy

When life gives you lemons make grape juice then watch and listen to others wonder how you did it.

The problem with challenging times is inclination to do what others are doing - but then you have the situation where you're simply picking apples at the same orchard as everyone else. The only thing you can find are partially eaten apples and worms.

Al's gonna hate me for saying this but toss out Monster for a week - heck, no job boards at all - and… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 15, 2009 at 9:00am — No Comments

You recruited them, laid them off, now they're in hock

"Before, so many of us were living a good life here...Now we cannot pay our loans. We are all just sleeping, smoking, drinking coffee and having headaches because of the situation."

To make matters worse, a "new draft media law [in Dubai] would make it a crime to damage the country’s reputation or economy, punishable by fines of up to 1 million dirhams (about $272,000). Some say it is already having a chilling effect on reporting about the crisis."

So you… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 12, 2009 at 7:23am — 6 Comments

America's Most Miserable Cities

Stockton, CA

Memphis, TN

Chicago, IL

Cleveland, OH

Modesto, CA

Flint, MI

Detroit, MI

Buffalo, NY

Miami, FL

St. Louis

Read the article and comments (the comments are, as always,… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 11, 2009 at 3:01pm — 1 Comment

The Col. Jessep approach to recruiting

Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be infiltrated by recruiters with phones and keyboards. Whose gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom.... You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Wall Street's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And that my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, is the key to hiring top talent. You don't want the truth because deep down in places… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 9, 2009 at 2:21pm — No Comments

Everybody loves Raymond: Lucky Suit interview and Facebook

You thought it was bad when a parent would come to an interview, now this.

[you must view both these videos - MUST]…

Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 9, 2009 at 1:22pm — No Comments

Is it really that bad? Nope...

Too much fear mongering not enough reality and action

Added by Steve Levy on February 9, 2009 at 12:00pm — 10 Comments

Women should wear high heals and lipstick to be successful

Female employees at the Bank of England have been advised to "Always wear a heel and some sort of make-up, even if it’s just lipstick." And don't forget that clients like tight skirts and cleavage too...

Personal branding coach Mary Spillane, a partner in the London office of executive search firm Whitehead Mann says, "People move on in their careers because of communication, influencing skills, being able to create the impact that conveys leadership and authority, and that… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 8, 2009 at 10:00am — 14 Comments

The government's January unemployment numbers aren't real

I've been a big fan of John Crudele for many years; he's one of the few good things about Rupert's NY Post, the most highly used black and white at the Fulton fish market.

His columns on employment should be on the must-read list of every… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on February 7, 2009 at 1:39pm — No Comments