Steve Levy's Blog (261)

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

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One of my friends of 30+ years, Bob Adler, lost his wife to cancer on April 25, 2007. Bob and I still spend our weekends during the summer lifeguarding at Jones Beach; as is common amongst lifeguards, our families seamlessly blend together and I consider his loss, my loss.

Perhaps it wasn't always the case but as… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on October 13, 2008 at 6:00pm — 2 Comments

Narcissists in charge but don't outperform others as leaders

"Narcissists like to be in charge, so it stands to reason that a new study shows individuals who are overconfident about their abilities are most likely to step in as leaders, be they politicians or power brokers.

However, their initiative doesn't mean they are the best leaders. The study also found narcissists don't outperform others in leadership roles."

An unscientific study by recruiters - who themselves scored high on narcissism scales - included comments such… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on October 10, 2008 at 12:14pm — No Comments

How Much Jason Davis Earns from Blogging

just a guess...

Added by Steve Levy on October 10, 2008 at 10:21am — 11 Comments

Hispanic Culture, Hispanic Recruiting

"Hispanics often are raised in environments in which they’re taught not speak up and that sharing their accomplishments constitutes bragging."

"People tend to assume all Hispanics are the same — that’s like assuming everyone who speaks English is the same."

"The death rate of frontline Hispanics in the manufacturing and construction industries is higher than any other group, so organizations would be wise to implement work-safety training programs in Spanish for those… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on October 10, 2008 at 8:00am — No Comments

200 Best Small Companies...Best Recruiting too?

Here's Forbes 200 Best Small Companies: Was wondering is these companies also have better than average recruiting functions. Anyone from these companies on RBC?

Added by Steve Levy on October 10, 2008 at 7:53am — No Comments

Why Americans are Confused with the "Bailout"

American Math Chuckleheads - and read the comments too.

Is it any wonder that metrics confuse so many recruiters?

Added by Steve Levy on October 8, 2008 at 4:54pm — No Comments

eBay did what?!?

Acquired Bill Me Later..."Bill Me Later is a convenient and secure way to pay on the web or over the phone. Bill Me Later lets users pay without using a credit card. At checkout, provide your birthday and the last four digits of your social security number and your purchase is complete. It’s that easy!"

Well shazam, credit is so hard to get these days and banks are changing their logos like once a month now and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is adamant that he wasn't one of our… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on October 7, 2008 at 6:16pm — 6 Comments

It doesn't have to be "End of Days"

The calls and emails have been coming in; the voices imperceptively waiver: The recruiters are nervous. Corporate leaders and naifs are looking out their windows, some even waiting for the call to come. Third party firms are wondering where the callbacks are. Who is Satan and who is the Saviour?

Satan is real and you are the Saviour but you don't know this yet. Satan wants you to be afraid; he wants to cull the herd. Don't let him scare you.

Push for long term… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on October 6, 2008 at 11:00am — 3 Comments

College Students Abandon Finance for Computer Major

"Students have commented to me and written on their course wikis that they're considering changing from finance [majors], both based on the appeal of IS and concern over availability of finance jobs" in the future, Boston College associate professor of IT John Gallaugher tells Computerworld.

So my friends who focus on finance related recruiting, it's time to convince your leadership that unless you implement a longer range focus on workforce planning for the finance function,… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on October 6, 2008 at 7:59am — No Comments

Here Piggy Piggy, sooooooooooooeeeeeeeee

In order to win passage, the following pork was inserted into the final bailout bill – these are from both parties:

$6 million for manufacturers of kids' wooden arrows

$192 million for Puerto Rican and Virgin Islands rum producers

$128 million for auto-racing tracks

$33 million for corporations operating in American Samoa

$10 million for small to medium budget film and television productions

$223 million package of tax benefits… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on October 2, 2008 at 3:28pm — 4 Comments

An Excellent Explanation of the Bailout Plan

Read it here and also read the comments

Added by Steve Levy on October 1, 2008 at 7:02am — 2 Comments

WaMu is Excited

Just called into WaMu's customer service line; the first thing I heard was, "We are excited to announce we've become part of JP Morgan Chase!" Talk about laying it on thick. How about the WaMu recruiters in the audience - are you excited?

Added by Steve Levy on September 30, 2008 at 3:30pm — No Comments

Credit pinched, retailers to cut more costs: survey

Ho, Ho, Ho and a severance package. But at least the excess inventory will be discounted, right? But will anyone be buying?

Added by Steve Levy on September 30, 2008 at 2:35pm — No Comments

Learn a Boolean, Start a Business

In the 10+ years that I've been part of the online recruiting community, I've never seen a time when it was possible to learn a rudimentary skill and then pawn oneself off as an expert. Shally and G-Man have been internet search wonks for this period and have the experience to bolster their skills teaching with a range of specific examples;… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on September 30, 2008 at 2:21pm — No Comments

A bailout that has no chance of working

On news that Wachovia will be changing its logos soon, I proactively called some of my CitiRecruitingFriends to introduce them to my WachoviaRecruitingFriendsWhoAreNowNervousAboutTheirJobs. You know who you are so let's talk today, k?

It's frankly pathetic that the bailout plan has become another political football. Maureen shared a letter from one of her state reps that was replete with political doublespeak and inconsequential emotional junk yet failed to address the reasons how… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on September 30, 2008 at 11:30am — 5 Comments

Way off topic but hey, it's Friday

As a UVM grad and an attendee when Ben and Jerry's started up their enterprise in an old gas station bordering the square in downtown Burlington, VT, when I read this today, many words passed my lips...

In response to our letter, Ben and Jerry's issued the following statement: "We applaud PETA's novel approach to bringing attention to an issue, but we believe a mother's milk is best used for her child."

PETA,… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on September 26, 2008 at 4:09pm — No Comments

Keeping Recruiting Costs "Down"

A thread over on ERE's Recruiting Leadership Forum asks the throngs Monday's question of the day, "How do you keep recruiting costs down?"

Naturally this begs a question: How many in recruiting really know and track the direct and indirect costs of talent acquisition?

How can you decrease what you don't know or track?

Added by Steve Levy on September 26, 2008 at 8:53am — 1 Comment

Screw Recruiting...Work for the Railroad

"Virtually every career employee — as many as 97 percent in one recent year — applies for and gets disability payments soon after retirement...The L.I.R.R.’s disability rate suggests it is one of the nation’s most dangerous places to work. Yet in four of the last five years, the railroad has won national awards for improving worker safety."

From the article:

During contract negotiations in 1994, management also tried to take… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on September 21, 2008 at 9:08am — No Comments

A word of advice to the "vultures"

I don't mean "vultures" in the pejorative sense of the word but a bit of sense and sensibility to recruiters circling high above the din of Wall Street's failure...consider the character of the people who engineered this fiasco before recruiting them to your angelic little firm.

Not everyone can wildly thrive in a turnaround environment - or your environment.

Added by Steve Levy on September 20, 2008 at 7:04am — No Comments

Only the best recruiters need apply

Gross National Debt Statistics - we're now shareholders!

Poor Financial Services now has Henry Paulsen and his version of the RTC to blame - no thank - for the handou...uh, bailout. From his Treasury Department bio, "...[before] coming to Treasury, Paulson was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Goldman Sachs since the firm's initial public offering in 1999. He… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on September 20, 2008 at 6:33am — 2 Comments