career management

Bullet Points: Working from “Anywhere”

The Hired Guns on September 19, 2011

Thinking of getting one of those trendy standing desks to avoid dying while in the saddle at work? It’s probably just as healthy to move around more. [Lifehacker]
It’s fun to talk about visual vs. auditory vs. movement-based learning styles, but now at least one psychologist has pointed out that evidence for such distinctions is thin on the ground.
Lots of rhetoric paints small businesses as places that effortlessly bubble over with new ideas and lots of growth, but few small businesses are really that innovative, says a new study from the University of Chicago: they “start small and stay small.” [Slate]
Entrepreneur and author John Warrilow comes up with seven tools he uses to work from “anywhere”—although most of the applications listed will only be truly useful in locations with a speedy internet connection.
Check out this animation that a student made using a year’s worth of his homework:

[via HuffPo]

Bullet Points: Recruiting in the “New New New Economy”

The Hired Guns on September 15, 2011

“Hunting for UX talent is nothing short of finding a needle in a haystack,” writes the recruiter Addison Carpenter at UX Booth. “… job boards aren’t working and UXers are bad at marketing themselves.” (But not all candidates agree! Read the comments, too.)
Crain’s looks at One Wire, a LinkedIn competitor targeting financial services companies and their employees.
And the Times looks at Direct Approach, a site that swipes a few tricks from dating sites like eHarmony in hopes of getting a better match between employees and the soon-to-be-employed.
What’s ahead for corporate recruiting? Andrew Gadomski of Aspen Advisors predicts the return of the general manager and increased specialization of all sorts.
The job-seeker’s paradox, according to economist Arnold Kling: “A job seeker is looking for something for a well-defined job. But the trend seems to be that if a job can be defined, it can be automated or outsourced.“ And related thoughts on “The New New New Economy“ from Megan McArdle, at the Atlantic.

Bullet Points: Bacteria That Advertise; Overshooting Your Salary for Profit; the Fake Review Epidemic

The Hired Guns on September 13, 2011

Like other scientists, Richard Feynman had a way of looking at the world that was different than the rest of us, writes his biographer Robert Krulwich in “A Deathbed Story I would Never Tell.” [NPR]
Wondering how to make sure you get the best salary? Try overshooting on what you will accept, advises Lifehacker. (And for other tips, check out our own Salary Tutor, Jim Hopkinson).
Amazon, Yelp, and Priceline are drowning in fake reviews, causing an “arms race” between those trying to game the system and those hoping to make sure that online reviews actually mean something. [NYT]
We feel a fever coming on: a billboard for the bio-thriller Contagion was built from bacteria and fungi. [The Frisky]
4 Million Microloans Visualized in 4 Minutes [Mashable]

Want to Speak Well? Look to the Pros.

Joel Schwartzberg on September 8, 2011

In this new series, experienced speaker, teacher, and consultant Joel Schwartzberg breaks down for us the best ways to improve your presentation skills, whether you’re still in school, in mid-career, or in upper management.

With just over a year before the next presidential election, we’re about to be deluged with political debates, speeches, pontification, and more passionate punditry than any human not employed by Fox News or MSNBC can stand. But whether those speakers are conservative, progressive, or somewhere in the middle (or just trying to be) their goals are always the same: to make their points clearly, concisely, effectively, memorably, convincingly, and credibly.

And that should be your goal, too. Whether you’re speaking in front of a vast audience or a prospective employer, you want to make your own points clearly, concisely, effectively, memorably, convincingly and credibly.

In this blog and in my upcoming Hired Guns Academy course, we’ll be looking at ways to do just
that. But for now, while there’s so much speech-making all around you, it’s a good idea to examine how politicians do it. Remember two things: One, good speakers aren’t born; they’re trained. Two, when it comes to strong public presentations, how you say it as important (if not more important) than what you’re saying. Read More →

The Hired Guns Book Club: Part 3 of The Accidental Creative

Allison Hemming on September 5, 2011

Welcome to part 3 of The Hired Guns book club, which covers chapters 8 through 10 of Todd Henry’s The Accidental Creative. This week’s section is about helping you keep hitting your “creative rhythm” by showing you how to tie together the practices that were covered earlier.

(Just joining us? Head to our introductory post about the book.)

In the video below, Todd talks about the use of “checkpoints”—periodic check-ins you schedule with yourself to ensure that all the practices you started are still working. It’s also a time to see if there are any new practices you need to add to your routine. Hint: it’s not about deciding whether or not to take on a new organization system you’ve happened to hear about—it’s about thinking about all the new projects on the horizon and figuring out to make sure you have enough time and energy to accomplish everything that’s important, in your personal as well as professional life.

After you check out Todd’s video, you can post questions for him on Twitter, in the comments below, or on our Facebook page. He’ll be checking in from time to time, and he’d love to hear what you have to say!

Next week, on Monday, September 12, Todd will wrap up the book club by answering any questions you may have, and also talk about ways to extend the lessons in his book.

Previously:
Announcing The Hired Guns Book Club: The Accidental Creative
The Hired Guns Book Club: Part 1 of The Accidental Creative
The Hired Guns Book Club: Part 2 of The Accidental Creative

Also by Todd:
“Be a Laser, Not a Lighthouse” & Other Creative Leadership Essentials
The Accidental Creative: Are You Taking Ground or Just Maintaining It?
“Every Hero Needs a Bad Guy”: Who Are You Fighting Against?

How Not to Succeed: 4 Great Ways to Fail as a New Manager

Todd Tarpley on August 30, 2011

Hurray. The evil production manager you used to report to just got fired. Everyone on your team is happy. Even better: you’re the new production manager. Woo-hoo!

Here’s what you should do to ensure that you will fail:

Don’t learn how to manage up.

You always thought your old boss was a jerk. Your new boss will be a jerk too. You hate bosses. You never want to be a boss. Just keep doing your old job. If your new boss absolutely insists on meeting with you now and then, fine. But don’t go out of your way to communicate or—ick—try to understand his or her goals and strategies. Certainly don’t be proactive or anything. After all, the whole stupid company sucks; you’re just here for a paycheck. Share your sentiments with your team. Read More →

The Hired Guns Book Club: Part 2 of The Accidental Creative

Allison Hemming on August 29, 2011

Welcome to part 2 of the group read for The Accidental Creative. Hope you had a chance to get through chapters 4 through 7 during all the Irene drama, and that you remained safe and dry.

(If you’re new to the book club, first check out our intro post to see what we’re covering.)

For part 2, Todd moves into ways to deal with the “assassins of creativity” he covered in part 1. Step one: defining your job so that you’re working on what’s mission-critical, not what just seems most important or urgent.

Building relationships are also important—despite the stereotype, most creative people need a strong, vibrant network to get their work done. Also discussed: ways to keep up your energy (you may have to prune what you do!), paying attention to what feeds your creative process, and reasons that “efficiency” shouldn’t be the main deciding factor in what you decide to do next.

So please check out the video below, and post questions for Todd on Twitter, in the comments below, or on our Facebook page. He’ll be checking in from time to time.

We’re also interested in finding out what “assassins” you’ve encountered at work, and how you’ve dealt with them.

Next week, in a Labor Day post, Todd will be covering chapters 8-10, which have more ways to keep your creative rhythm going—including using “checkpoints” to keep everything moving smoothly. He will also show you how to put together all that you’ve learned—and give some direction on where to go from here.

Previously:
Announcing The Hired Guns Book Club: The Accidental Creative
The Hired Guns Book Club: Part 1 of The Accidental Creative

Come on Irene: Top 10 Ways to Ride Out the Storm

Allison Hemming on August 26, 2011

Weather hyperbole be damned, Irene looks like she’s going to strike the east coast but hard. Sure you could hunker down and watch a bunch of Netflix and then Facebook your face off, but why not take the next 48 hours of uninterrupted time to work on your career, your productivity, and your creativity? Here’s a list, arranged roughly from the most beneficial steps to least.

1. Gear up for your year-end review…. Now! HR consulting firm Towers Watson just announced that the best workers inside companies will get a 4.3% bump this year. Make sure you’re in the promotion class. There are just four months left in the year, and if you want a little present in the form of a raise and a promotion under your tree this year, you have to make “the ask” and justify it. Get ready by “listifying” your major achievements for the year (this list also comes in handy when you need to update your resume and go out on interviews if you don’t end up getting what you’re looking for). Then schedule a meeting with your boss for next week. Read More →

Bullet Points: Hunting “Hidden” Candidates; Why Micromanaging’s a Drag

The Hired Guns on August 25, 2011

Stop micromanaging! It hurts performance. Science says so. [Evil HR Lady]
Science takes a dim view of multitasking, too.
“Value is King”: Company “departments” should go away and instead become “value groups,” writes Josh Allan Dykstra.
“How do I re-enter HR after a career break?” [Personnel Today]
The New York Times opens up its software lab, a showcase called beta620. [Wired]
Jen Klein has some tips to help hiring managers unearth those always-tasty “passive candidates.”

Presenting The Hired Guns Posse for SXSWi 2012

The Hired Guns on August 23, 2011

Check it out—here’s a complete list of the 25 panels that Hired Guns are proposing for the next SXSW. Last year, seven of the eleven proposals that Guns floated ended up being presented at the actual event. Given the cool ideas below, we’re hoping to manage to even improve on that ratio this time around.

Please have a look, and vote for all those that you’d like to see become a reality at SXSWi next spring—SXSW weights public voting at 30% for the purposes of deciding which panels are accepted. You have to register and sign in to vote (you can do so using your Facebook or Twitter login); the voting deadline is the Friday before Labor Day, September 2.

For more about SXSW and the best ways to get picked, see our recent interview with Hugh Forrest, SXSW Interactive’s event director. Read More →

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