Steve Levy's Blog (261)

A dip in the Hudson demonstrates why experience counts

Ms. Higgins said one reason everyone survived was that the plane carried "very senior flight attendants." All were in their 50s, according to US Airways. "This is a testament to experienced women doing their jobs, because they were, and it worked," said Ms. Higgins, who has worked for several federal agencies since 1969.

Hey Recruiters - ARE YOU LISTENING?!?!?!?

Article… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on January 19, 2009 at 7:35am — 4 Comments

Gen-Y-They're-Unemployed

This is the most educated generation, and they were told, "You're special," Well … they’re not special, and they end up going out into the professional world and finding this out." Yikes...

What then do they tell their Baby Boomer parents?

Article includes sector-by-sector unemployment figures.

Added by Steve Levy on January 16, 2009 at 3:00pm — No Comments

Sorry Mrs. Slouch

Yes Mrs. Davis, those arms are mine; so is the tattoo (one of several).

Why is it so difficult to believe someone who looks like a resident of a state penitentiary and has both a front and side view picture on his drivers license is also a sensitive recruiter, loves cats, enjoys gardening, and snuggling on a Friday night in camouflage fleece?

Please don't bother Mr. Slouch too much; for certain his legs are almost the size of my arms, his scowl makes the kids in your… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on January 16, 2009 at 10:00am — 3 Comments

The Fractured Sisterhood @Work

But while women have come a long way in removing workplace barriers, one of the last remaining obstacles is how they treat one another. Instead of helping to build one another’s careers, they sometimes derail them...

Read the article here - it's a good one.

I did some research and found the survey (September 2007) noted in the… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on January 15, 2009 at 8:06pm — 1 Comment

Four Pink Slips and a Lawsuit

Now that Motorola is handing out pink slips to many on the mobile side, does this mean they're also going to be ramping up lawsuits targeted at the mobile companies who hire these people?

BTW, mobile developers make great non-mobile application… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on January 15, 2009 at 8:21am — No Comments

Googling helps destroy the environment

While millions of people tap into Google without considering the environment, a typical search generates about 7g of CO2 Boiling a kettle generates about 15g. “Google operates huge data centres around the world that consume a great deal of power. A Google search has a definite environmental impact.

Click here but remember doing so makes you an anti-environmentalist

Added by Steve Levy on January 12, 2009 at 8:41am — 3 Comments

Even the porn industry has its hand out

[Larry] Flynt (the "Hustler" guy) and [Joe] Francis (the "Girls Gone Wild" dude) are asking the government for a $5 billion bailout, claiming the adult entertainment industry has taken a huge shot to the face because of the downturn -- citing the fact that XXX DVD sales are down 22% from a year ago.

Yes, times are tough all over. All snickering aside, the porn has had a… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on January 12, 2009 at 8:31am — No Comments

Wal-Mart's December Earnings

Ouch...

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT: 5.54-0.48-0.86%) said Thursday that December same-store sales rose 1.7% excluding fuel, falling short of the estimate for an increase of 2.8% in a survey of analysts by Thomson Reuters. In the year-ago period, Wal-Mart said same-store sales rose 2.4%. "Due to the difficult economy and severe winter weather in some regions, the holiday season was more challenging for retailers than expected," said Eduardo Castro-Wright, vice… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on January 8, 2009 at 8:11am — 2 Comments

Know thy quarry

Developers were asked what programming skills they planned to learn in 2009:

A new language
A new framework or library for a language you already know
A new technique or platform for languages that you already know (like multithreading, mobile development, etc.)
More than one of the above
Other (please specify in the discussion)

As of… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on January 6, 2009 at 1:25pm — No Comments

Recruit me not my Facebook account

I titled this post to focus on recruiting not politics...I'd like to see more candidates take the suggestions below (in case you don't feel like reading the article):

Use a Modified Name

Using a completely false name is against Facebook's terms of use, and accounts with questionable names are routinely deleted...so something like J.S. McCain is OK, while Little Old Ladys Killer (an actual Facebook listing) might… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on January 5, 2009 at 9:36am — No Comments

What to say when a Recruiter's fly is open

[this has nothing to do with recruiting; just used the word recruiter to get the eyeballs]

Saying your fly is open is so old school. So whenever you see a recruiter with their barn door wide open, try some of these:

Dr. Kimble has escaped!
I can see the gun of Navarone.
The cucumber has left the salad.
Your pod bay door is open, Hal.
Your soldier ain't so unknown now.
Elvis Junior has LEFT the…

Continue

Added by Steve Levy on January 5, 2009 at 8:05am — No Comments

I'm sure use these in our blog posts

Lake Superior State University "maverick" word-watchers, fresh from the holiday "staycation" but without an economic "bailout" even after a "desperate search," have issued their 34th annual List of Words to Be Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness. This year's list may be more "green" than any of the previous lists and includes words and phrases that people from "Wall Street to Main Street" say they love "not so much" and wish to have erased from… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on January 5, 2009 at 8:00am — No Comments

Mo's Sweet Sixteen

Okay, so she's not 16 (perhaps a multiple but as one who is also a multiple of 16...plus - I can say these things) but it's still her birthday. Who?

Amy Beth may be a Princess (fine, a Goddess) but Happy Birthday to the real Queen of Sourcing.

Are you one? Are you two? Are you... Whew, I'm tired already!

Added by Steve Levy on December 30, 2008 at 7:35am — 2 Comments

Dave Mendoza's Christmas Boogie Dance

Yes, El Dave can dance...sort of.

Added by Steve Levy on December 29, 2008 at 9:44pm — No Comments

Stopping recruiting now makes no sense at all - a TV metaphor

ABC, NBC and Fox all drawing around a million viewers less each night than they did last season. CBS is the one network that has improved from last season, up 1% in viewership.

Among the 18-to-49-year-old audience sought by advertisers, there are also declines. Both ABC and Fox are down 14%, while NBC is down 9% and CBS is down 3%.

Yet advertisers are still plowing money into… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on December 29, 2008 at 7:05pm — No Comments

Another banking CEO's legacy

We hope to do to this industry what Wal-Mart did to theirs, Starbucks did to theirs, Costco did to theirs and Lowe’s-Home Depot did to their industry. And I think if we’ve done our job, five years from now you’re not going to call us a bank.

That's right, Kerry K. Killinger, former CEO of Washington Mutual - they'll think of you as a F-A-I-L-U-R-E.

How about a few other big-box ideas?

Cardio Depot - In aisle one we have bypasses; aisle… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on December 28, 2008 at 9:11am — No Comments

Scrimping through this recession

The best Web sites to help you scrimp through the recession...this isn't geared towards recruiters but can help anyone who is concerned and wants some sagacious advice on living better.

Added by Steve Levy on December 26, 2008 at 1:19pm — No Comments

Recruiting...the CIA way

The Afghan chieftain looked older than his 60-odd years, and his bearded face bore the creases of a man burdened with duties as tribal patriarch and husband to four younger women. His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift.

Four blue pills. Viagra.

"Take one of these. You'll love it," the officer said. Compliments of Uncle Sam.

The enticement worked. The officer, who described the encounter, returned four days… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on December 26, 2008 at 11:36am — 4 Comments

Whats the "it" gift for RBC 2009?

I love my Slouch hat but with people making fun of it, I'm becoming a bit gun shy about wearing it in public. In the past, JD and I have talked about mugs and bumper stickers and these might work well but I know there is something out there to really tug on the purse strings of RBC members and hopefully serve as seed money for the community's philanthropic efforts for 2009.

Then I read about… Continue

Added by Steve Levy on December 26, 2008 at 10:00am — 1 Comment