2012 February

Metrics: The Key to Product Optimization

Matt Smith on February 29, 2012

Great product people understand their users in a qualitative way — what their motivations are, what they use your product for, and what issues they have with your product. It’s a core part of being a product owner, particularly when you are looking to build something new. But when you are looking to optimize your site experience, you also need product metrics.

Qualitative research tells you “why,” but product metrics tell you “what.” It’s metrics that help product owners make decisions and, even more important, understand if those decisions were ultimately right or wrong. Read More →

THG @SXSW: Unleash All Your Creative Potential — On Deadline

Todd Henry on February 29, 2012

In the days leading up to SXSW Interactive, we’ve been looking at the Hired Guns and Hired Guns pals who will be there. Up today: author and consultant Todd Henry:

Book Reading and Discussion
Friday, March 9, 4:00
Presenter: Todd Henry

Your Twesume
(your resume in 140 characters or less):
Founder of The Accidental Creative, author of The Accidental Creative, arms dealer for the creative revolution.

Why did you want to speak at SXSW?
I’m as or more excited about meeting tons of sharp, visionary people at SXSW than I am about speaking! But anytime I get the chance to share how creatives can unleash that final 20% of their creative potential, I’m there. I’m excited to share the insights from my research and book. Read More →

Headed to Austin for SXSW?

Allison Hemming on February 28, 2012

Howdy Guns,

Are you heading down to Austin for SXSWi? If so, let us know! We’ll be getting together for some informal networking over that weekend, March 10-11, and we’d love to connect.

Just email us and tell us what day you’re getting there and what day you’re leaving, and your name and Twitter handle. We have a Twitter list set up for all the Guns — we’ll add you to it so that we can find each other on the fly. Last year I was able to find great panels based on the tweets of other Guns.

See you in the Lone Star State!

Give Them a Speech They Won’t Forget, Tomorrow at The Hired Guns Academy

The Hired Guns on February 28, 2012

Tomorrow, Wed., February 29, the presentation expert Joel Schwartzberg will teach his Hired Guns Academy class on how to Nail That Keynote: Adding Strength to Your Professional Talks, Appearances, and Job Interviews.

As a frequent coach for competitive public-speaking teams as well as individuals and groups of all sorts, Joel knows what it takes to get a message heard — loud and clear. In this three-hour class, he’ll give you what you need to know to craft presentations that stick, including the best way to use visual aids, some easy tricks to get rid of the jitters, and a clear explanation of why the words on the page are only one part of what makes speeches memorable.

To find our more about Joel and his approach, check out a few of his recent posts:

There are still a few spaces left for his class this Wednesday, but don’t wait too long — space is limited. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Poll Results: Where’s the Job Market Headed?

The Hired Guns on February 27, 2012

As you can see below, those of you answering our poll about the job market are mostly an optimistic lot — but only in the most cautious of ways. More than 88% of you think the job market’s headed for better days, but that includes the 62% of you who see the improvement being part of a “long, slow slog.”

Here’s hoping that the economic news for the rest of 2012 continues going onward and upward….

Dessert at Breakfast May Help You Lose the Weight

Brooke Alpert on February 24, 2012

Dessert for breakfast? Who’s in? A March 2012 study published in the international research journal Steroids emphasizes that meal timing and what you eat for breakfast (including, in some cases, cake and cookies) can be the key to losing weight and keeping it off.

The study was done on almost 200 subjects, who were split into two groups. The main difference between the two groups was their breakfast. One group had a 300-calorie, low-carbohydrate breakfast, and the other group had a high-carb, protein-enriched breakfast of 600 calories, which included a choice of dessert: chocolate, cookies, cake, ice cream, chocolate mousse, or donuts. The results made some headlines: the group that had the bigger breakfast with the dessert lost more weight and kept it off longer than the non-dessert group. But don’t reach for that donut yet. Read More →

Public Speaking: 10 Secrets Every Panelist Must Learn Before Hitting the Stage

Joel Schwartzberg on February 23, 2012

Being on a conference panel is like your first day at a new school: to succeed, you need to play nice, stay focused, know what you’re talking about, and dress sharp. The dressing sharp part is on you. For the rest, here’s how to be ready:

1. Prepare Your Points.

Don’t go in cold. Prepare 2–3 points in advance that relate to your expertise and the mission of the conference or event. Think about how you can help this audience. What do you know that they should too? If you can, mention these points in advance to the moderator –- he or she can help you make them. Also be prepared with stats, examples, or outcomes that illustrate your points. If you know a great and related joke, bring it, but don’t force the funny. Read More →

LinkedIn’s Recruiting Revenues May Soon Eclipse Monster’s

The Hired Guns on February 23, 2012

It’s been a banner year so far for LinkedIn, with its stock up an amazing 46% since January 1 — a big jump in its revenue accounts for much of this new sexiness to investors.

For the Forbes contributor Josh Bersin, though, the “real story” is the fact that LinkedIn is now the “fastest growing public provider of corporate recruiting solutions.” So if there’s anyone out there who still thinks that LinkedIn is just a more-boring Facebook for suits, it’s time to get with the program. Read More →

Bullet Points: Embrace the Fail

The Hired Guns on February 22, 2012

Should we be trying to learn from freshly shut-down companies the same way we try to learn from shiny new startups? [Washington Post]
It’s “practically a religion” in lots and lots of offices, but does brainstorming even work? [The New Yorker]
Leonardo da Vinci, failure. [Boxes and Arrows]
Social media has had lots of successes, but that doesn’t mean that any of them came without spending real money. Writing in Inc., Hollis Thomases tallies up social marketing’s likely costs, using everyone’s favorite viral, that Old Spice guy, as an example.
Why is the talent pool in IT, entertainment, and management so shallow, and why are the wages so high? Maybe it’s not that the raw talent’s so rare — it’s that it’s just really, really hard to identify it, and to train it once you do. [Marginal Revolution]

THG @SXSW: Salary Negotiation Secrets No One Ever Taught You

Jim Hopkinson on February 21, 2012

In preparation for next month’s SXSW Interactive, we’re profiling the Hired Guns who will be presenting. Up for today is Jim Hopkinson, the Salary Tutor, who will cover something very near and dear to our heart — getting paid what you deserve.

Salary Tutor: Become a Salary Negotiation Rockstar
Saturday, March 10, 12:30
Presenter: Jim Hopkinson

Your Twesume
(your resume in 140 characters or less):
I’m an author, speaker, and teacher on the subjects of new media, branding, and career development. Runner, sports fan, geek, city-dweller.

Why did you want to speak at SXSW?
I’ve attended SXSW the last three years, and have thrived off of the energy, the people, and learning about “what’s next.” I wanted the chance to give back to others. Since I love to speak and had something to talk about this year, I applied and got accepted. Read More →

Page 1 of 312 3 »

Gunsworthy

The Hired Guns Blog

Topics

Authors

Archive

Metrics: The Key to Product Optimization

THG @SXSW: Unleash All Your Creative Potential — On Deadline

Headed to Austin for SXSW?

Give Them a Speech They Won’t Forget, Tomorrow at The Hired Guns Academy

Poll Results: Where’s the Job Market Headed?

Dessert at Breakfast May Help You Lose the Weight

Public Speaking: 10 Secrets Every Panelist Must Learn Before Hitting the Stage

LinkedIn’s Recruiting Revenues May Soon Eclipse Monster’s

Bullet Points: Embrace the Fail

THG @SXSW: Salary Negotiation Secrets No One Ever Taught You

Gunsworthy

Bullet Points: Freelance Success
by The Hired Guns

Show Me the Money: How to Price Your Work (and Get Paid for It)
by Beth Temple

Flextime: How to Bend (Not Break!) in Today’s Turbulent Workplace
by Beth Temple

About The Hired Guns

Press

Contact Us

The Hive