Executive Headhunters

Manage Your Career Like Your March Madness Bracket

Tuesday, March 6, 2012 by Stacy Rouse

Here's what the process of filling out my NCAA tournament bracket has looked like for the last 5 years: I sit down at my computer, login to CBS Sportline and immediately fall into a statistics induced trance. I quickly paralyze myself with the information trying to figure out which picks to make and specifically, which teams are going to defy all statistics and be a bracket buster (i.e. Butler and VCU). Then after a few minutes of analysis paralysis, I decide that I'm not getting anywhere by trying to learn about all 64 teams in a matter of minutes and making decisions based off of that limited information would be silly. Heck, even sports analysts that have been following collegiate basketball season after season can't predict this stuff so why am I trying to do it? So I carry on about my business and make my choices based on the information I do know and teams that I like. (I'll even admit to picking teams because I like their school colors or team mascot. But don't tell my husband that, he'd probably be embarassed to hear me say that.) This year, it made me think that making your bracket picks is a lot like managing your career. How?

Decisions you make early in the process can greatly affect your overall journey. I am guessing a large percentage of people who filled out brackets picked Butler to lose in the first or second. (These people obviously didn't know Butler's potential like the rest of us from the Hoosier state!) Picking that loss cost them significantly! The same is true in your career. If you simply just take any job early in your career, even though it doesn't match up at all with your long term career goals, you are doing yourself a major injustice.
Limiting your Indianapolis job search to only big name companies is a very narrow-minded approach. In years past I have selected teams to win simply because they're typically a tourney powerhouse. However, in doing that I am ignoring the potential of the "underdog" having what it takes to pull out a win. This is definitely the case in a career search...especially here in Indianapolis. We are lucky to have a lot of strong small to mid-size businesses that might not be known outside of the city, but the culture and opportunities they provide are outstanding. If you are only focusing on large companies, you will never have the opportunity to pursue some of those "Cinderella stories".
Do your research, but rely on your own experiences as well. I know that a lot of analysts didn't think Butler could make it out of the first or second round. However, if you've followed them at all the last couple of years, you know that they play with heart and tenacity that is rarely matched by their opponents. Knowing this, you may have had them advancing another round. The same is true for companies. It is important to learn as much as you can about companies that you are targeting in your Indianapolis job search, but you also need to make decisions based on your own experiences with those companies as well. If you hear all kinds of praise about a company, but your interview with them is awful, you need to make the decision based on that experience and not just what the "statistics" are telling you.

So with that information, I wish anyone in an Indianapolis job search much better results than I had with my bracket this year. Although my results weren't pretty, I had a great time participating in a couple of pools and am already anxiously awaiting next year! Which leads me to my last point. Have fun with your search. If you make it a chore and a dreadful activity to complete, your journey will not be as rewarding as it could be.

Rejection

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 by Stacy Rouse

Picture yourself in this scenario:

You just got back to your computer and are anxiously trying to get into your e-mail to see if you've received feedback yet from the company you interviewed with last week. As soon as you login the company's e-mail address instantly jumps out at you and you cannot click on the message fast enough to see what it says. You begin reading the words, "We enjoyed meeting with you and learning about your career path...." You then read a little further and you see, "...but at this time we have decided to pursue other avenues." You're not just devastated, you are mad. You can't understand why they didn't pick you. This is natural...we all want to understand why weren't picked for something we were so excited about. However, it is important that you not let the situation get you so down that you lose your confidence. Instead use this as a learning opportunity. Below, I have outlined for you some of the Do's and Don'ts of how to respond after receiving a rejection letter or phone call.

DON'T instantly pick up the phone and call the hiring manager to demand an explanation for not being selected for the job opening.
DON'T call all of your friends and tell them what a bad company XYZ company is because they didn't hire you for your dream job.
DON'T try to replay the entire interview back in your head and analyze every answer you provided.
DO ask politely for further feedback on your interview. Even if the company decided not to fill the position they may still be able to provide you with valuable feedback that you can transfer to future interviews as you continue your Indianapolis job search.
DO ask where other candidates more closely hit the mark and you maybe fell a little short. Maybe it is the computer skills needed for the position and you can easily take a couple of online courses to improve your skills and knowledge. Maybe other candidates had a certification that you do not, but have been contemplating going after. Not only will this help you further develop yourself for future opportunities, but it will also give you an idea of hiring trends in your industry.
DO write down the good answers that you provided to questions, along with those that you could have worded a little differently. This will help in your preparation for your next interview. Also, if you are working with an Indianapolis staffing firm, ask them if you can run some answers past them to get more feedback.

Rejection is never easy to deal with, especially when it pertains to your next career move. However, the way in which you respond to that rejection is what will set you apart in future interviews.

Job Seeker Do's & Dont's

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 by Lisa Minter

As I discussed in a previous blog, I entered that big scary job search arena last year and I had to remind myself of all those pointers that I had shared with Central Indiana job seekers over the past 17 years. It was time to see if they worked for me (which I am happy to say they did!).

First, Make sure your personal email address is simple and professional. If your email address is partyallthetime@xyzdomain, you should pick something else. You don't want an Indianapolis staffing company or HR Manager to disregard you before even viewing your resume.

If you are entering an Indianapolis job search while still employed, do not submit your resume or correspond from your work email address. This tells prospective employers that instead of working, you are searching for jobs on your current employer's dime.

Make sure your resume is free of any grammatical or spelling errors. Check, double & triple check and then have somoene else review it. It is a red flag if you are searching for adminstrative jobs, accounting jobs, or HR jobs in Indianapolis where companies are looking for individuals with atention to detail, professional communication skills or maintaining databases only to receive a resume with errors.

Clean up your social networking pages. HR Managers and Executive Recruiters in Indianapolis do check Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc. for information about the person applying for their company's open position. Think about what you have posted. If you have Spring Break-Daytona Beach pictures from college, think about if that is the impression you want to give to a prospective employer.

Make sure the voicemail message on your phone is professional. If your message is currently intended for personal use, revise it. If your message says "It's me and you know what to do" or "Leave a message, I'll call ya back", that does not instill confidence in hiring managers that you will be portray a professional representation of their company.

Finally, be sure to check voicemail and email messages frequently. It's important to respond in a relatively short amount of time to prosective employers. When Indianapolis staffing companies, Executive Recruiters or any prospective employer contacts you, they likely want to discuss your skills and how they may be a good fit for their company!

Answering the "weakness" question.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 by Stacy Rouse

One of the most popular interview questions asked of candidates in the job search has to be "Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses." Answering the first part of that question is somewhat easy for most people to answer, but very few people answer the second half of that question effectively. They either give the standard, generic answers (e.g. "I work too hard", "I'm a perfectionist", etc.) or they give a weakness that has nothing to do with their performance on the job. In my last position I asked someone to tell me something that they are working on from a professional standpoint (a.k.a. their weakness) and they answered simply with, "Gardening. My husband keeps telling me that I need to plant some flowers." Let's just say that I was less than amused and ended the interview as quickly as possible. That response had nothing to do with her quest for a new position.

A more effective way to answer that question is to reflect back on your most recent position and create a list of skills that you were not able to further develop or improve. Keep it positive. Keep it relevant. Most importantly make sure you explain in a clear and concise manner as to how developing those skills can be an asset to your future employer. I also recommend giving a little bit of detail on how you were able to improve that certain aspect even the slightest bit in the last position. If you can explain yourself effectively, a potential employer is going to appreciate that you have recognized a genuine need for improvement in a certain area and that you have also already taken the time and energy to analyze how you could work on that area.

Just remember, practice makes perfect so solid preparation for this answer will drastically improve the eloquence of your response.

Balancing Trust with Verification

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 by Karen Seketa

I am a natural born cynic. No, I take that back...I am sure I was not born that way, but my environment and experiences over time have shaped my outlook on life to be a little bit more on the "verify" side of Ronald Reagan's signature phrase "Trust but Verify". Now, don't get me wrong, I am not one to actively seek out the bad in all situations. Quite the opposite, actually. I am typically very upbeat and easygoing. My friends consider me fun to be around. (You might want to verify that one). Over time, however, I have moved away from blind trust and "taking your word for it" when navigating through day to day situations.

This is actually a very good trait to have and I am not just telling you that because of my own awareness of my level of cynicism. It is important to weigh your options and ask specific (and sometimes many) questions before you simply accept things for what they appear to be. This is something many of us do when making big decisions like buying a house or a car. I challenge you to "pause" regularly to consider your options or to "verify" the facts with any transaction that has an impact on your life, your year, your day or even the moment if it is important enough.

For example, when you meet someone for the first time, you don't know if they will have an impact (good or bad) on your life in some way. Take a moment to learn about them, peel back the layers of the onion and genuinely be interested in something about them before you pass judgment. A wise man (my dad) once told me that very rarely is something exactly what it appears to be. Perhaps that was my first lesson in "trust but verify" but it has served me well.

Take your Indianapolis job search, for another example. This impacts you significantly. It is very necessary to have a job and the process of finding a job (particularly of late) can be overwhelming. So what do we do? We move as quickly as we can through the process of identifying and applying to Indianapolis job openings and away we go. I challenge you that this is the perfect time to pause, even though the situation of not having a job or being in the wrong job makes it very hard to consider moving more slowly. The "trust but verify" approach here will serve you well. I promise.

Instead of the scatter approach to your job search, take the time to filter your options to those that you "trust" are the best match for you. Rely on your personal and professional networks to educate you on current hiring trends in your field of interest and to offer you insights to the good, bad and ugly of the local marketplace and in your chosen career track.
Once you have your list, it is time to verify. Do your research on the company, the industry and the specifics around the position. The first two are easy to do with all of the research options at your virtual fingertips. The position details will take some more work. Engage in social media outlets that connect you to others who work in the industry, for that company or in a similar role. If the opportunity to interview presents itself, use that initial engagement to verify that your understanding of the position match the expectations of the supervisor or the company.

Once you advance in the interview process, it is time to verify the cultural fit. A big shiny building with cutting edge technology might have nothing within the structure of the building to support what is important to you. Going with your gut has it's place and time and but nothing can take the place of asking questions in different ways to get to the answer you are really looking for. Just be prepared that the risk is that it might not be the answer you want. Most of the time we don't dig deeper because we fear that our perception will be shattered for a reality that we no longer want or like. Better now than later, I say.

Verifying can be uncomfortable, even in the most basic of situations. I was shopping in a local jeans establishment the other day and when the clerk rang up my total it sounded a little high for me. I mentioned that and the clerk brushed my concern aside. I paid, left and still felt something was not quite right. I looked in my bag and compared my purchases with the receipt and discovered that I had been charged for the same pair of jeans THREE times. I went back to have it corrected and was surprised when there was no apology for the error, only the comment "I am so glad you caught that". The only thing "Lucky" about that experience was that I trusted for a moment and then verified.

I encourage you to do the same.

At That's Good HR, Inc. we are acutely aware of the need to trust your choice in Indianapolis recruiters. The job search process is not the place to trust until you verify. Once you do your verification, your chances that you will have the right guidance and support throughout your process increase exponentially.

Leadership Strengths - No Magic Bullet

Tuesday, January 3, 2012 by Karen Seketa

I a

m of the opinion that there is no secret recipe to being a great leader or identifying great leaders. There are many who study or have studied what makes a great leader and I too have been a student of this quest for knowledge. My studies have not been scientific, rather, I have held leadership roles in Indianapolis staffing in one capacity or another for nearly 2 decades. My focus has been leadership in the world of central Indiana jobs and local hiring trends for as long as I can remember. I have had the opportunity to lead teams both large and small, in large corporate and small private organizations, with paid employees and with volunteers and in good times and bad. I feel fairly confident that my exposure to extremes has only contributed to my development in a positive way.

Gallup is a research organization that holds a little (a lot, actually) more clout than I do on studies of leadership traits. Conveniently, their studies also seem to agree with my point of view. In conducting research for the book, "Strengths Based Leadership", Gallup researchers studied more than one million work teams, conducted more than 20,000 in-depth interviews with leaders, and even interviewed more than 10,000 followers. Their findings were vast, but just of few of them follow:

Of all the leaders surveyed, Gallup has yet to discover even one who has world-class strength in all of the four domains of leadership strength -- executing, influencing, relationship building, and strategic thinking.
Paradoxically, those who strive to be competent in all areas become the least effective leaders overall.

Further, their research found that the most effective leaders are not well rounded at all, but instead are acutely aware of their talents and use them to their best advantage. By focusing on those things that you know you do well and the areas where your strengths lie, you do not waste your time and efforts trying to be great at everything. Imagine the power of focusing on your strengths and developing true expertise in these areas. It seems that most people fail when they feel they have to be the best in everything they do and instead end up being mediocre at everything. Followers have four basic needs - trust, compassion, stability and hope. It is hard for people to follow mediocrity with enthusiasm and loyalty.

If you are not aware of what your strengths are, you should do some research and find out. Then take it a step further and identify the strengths of your team to ensure that you are working with a balanced team covering the four key domains of leadership strength.

Based again on Gallup's Strengths Based Leadership, here are the four domains of leadership strength - all of these are important in building well rounded teams. A great leader will surround themselves with team members who are strong in the areas where they are self aware that they are lacking.

Executing

Team members who have dominant strength in the Executing domain are those whom you turn to time and again to implement a solution. These are the people who will work tirelessly to get something done. People who are strong in the Executing domain have an ability to take an idea and transform it into reality within the organization they lead.

Influencing

People who are innately good at influencing are always selling the team's ideas inside and outside the organization. When you need someone to take charge, speak up, and make sure your group is heard, look to someone with the strength to influence.

Relationship Building

Relationship builders are the glue that holds a team together. Strengths associated with bringing people together -- whether it is by keeping distractions at bay or keeping the collective energy high -- transform a group of individuals into a team capable of carrying out complex projects and goals.

Strategic Thinking

Those who are able to keep people focused on what they could be are constantly pulling a team and its members into the future. They continually absorb and analyze information and help the team make better decisions.

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You will be amazed at the power that comes from a well balanced team of individuals who balance each other and perform within their greatest strengths. I have been fortunate to work with teams like this in my past and to this day I would work with that team anywhere, anytime, with confidence in our ability to succeed. In the competitive industry of indianapolis staffing it is crucial to have a sustainable competitive edge that comes only from a well balanced leadership team.

Think references are a thing of the past? Think again!!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 by Amber Crosby

As an experienced recruiter and in the Indianapolis staffing industry I'm seeing a trend recently of candidates we are interviewing not being able to provide solid references. Frankly, I'm shocked! As a headhunter who knows a great reference can put you head and shoulders above your peers in the final selection process, I'm left wondering why professionals would feel this is no longer important. Let me address below why you want to have strong references:

Great references set you apart from your competition.
It makes the company you are interviewing with feel more comfortable with their hiring decision.
Job offers come much faster if references are completed during the interview process.
Most job offers are contingent upon reference checks, so why sweat it out once you have made it that far!

Now you are probably wondering, "How do I get a great reference?". The first part is in your control. You have to do a good job for the company, leave on good terms and treat managers/peers with professional courtesy. Once you accept another position or you get the dreaded "We are downsizing/eliminating your position/outsourcing this department/laying off due to lack of work" then the first step is to secure your references. To do this, follow these steps:

Ask, ask, ask - you don't get what you don't ask for. Never assume your manager will give you a reference if you did not ask them to.
Get their personal contact information - you want their personal information (phone, address and email address) because if they leave that company or the company closes, you will still need that reference and that means calling them on their personal phone. I also ask for their home address and send them a holiday card every year. They won't forget about you if they see your smiling family on a card each year.
If you are on LinkedIn, ask for a recommendation on your work and return the favor for your reference.
Keep in touch - reach out to them a couple times a year to keep good contact information. Don't be afraid to disclose some personal tidbits as well and make it a friendly touching base email.
Make sure you call your references by the time you reach the 2nd interview with a company. If they know to be expecting a call, chances are they will return the reference call much quicker. This will also give you the heads up if someone is going to be unable to be reached due to a travel schedule, vacation planned or just being out of the office for an extended period of time.
Know what they are going to say about you. If there was an attendance problem at that time, or if you are like me and are notoriously late to everything then make sure the company you are interviewing with knows this so they don't get any surprises during the reference check process. If you give good reasons for the issue and how you have learned from your mistake this will only make you look better. If you don't mention it and they do, rest assured you probably won't get the offer you are waiting on. As all football fans know, the best defense is a good offense. You want to get all their possible reasons for objections out of the way early on, not during the reference check process.

Obviously, this is the best case scenario, so what do you do if company policy prohibits your manager from giving a reference? This depends on the level of trust between you and your supervisor. I have always been close with mine so I wouldn't feel uncomfortable asking them if they would talk "off the record" to the company I'm interviewing with. If you aren't close then chances are they won't be comfortable with this. You will need to alert the company you are interviewing with when they ask for references that this will be the response they get. Offer additional references from other companies, volunteering activities, or external customers you worked with at that company.

To address the question I get from new graduates, "I don't have any work experience so how do I get a reference?". Use professors for a reference. This will take extra work on your part but I'm a firm believer in the advantages of staying connected to professors after graduation. If you have a professor more than once for your area of study - Ex. Accounting professor for accounting students then they would be the most optimal reference. You also have many other potential reference resources that you might have considered during your time at school. Summer jobs, volunteer opportunities, extra-curricular activities, student leadership posts and many more. To get them to give you a reference, make sure you follow the 6 steps listed above.

Now go add your references to your holiday card mailing list!!! Happy Holidays from That's Good HR!!

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - November 11, 2011

Thursday, November 10, 2011 by Harry Danz

This week focuses on Talent. Don't think I am crazy giving away trade secrets here. Engaging a staffing resource to support you in these efforts will always give you a leg up, but we are also here to support and educate our clients on how to find the best talent. While we are at it, we are also here to support them in their efforts to retain the top talent. Some might think that is counter-productive to our business, but I beg to differ. The more value we provide to our customers around the investments they make in talent acquisition that will stick around, the more loyal those customers are. Besides, some of our best customers have been some of our best placements who moved up to become hiring managers. I also threw in at least one hard core HR news article just to give you some variety. With open enrollment coming up, we could all use a little advice. Have any questions or ideas about what you read in this week's news update? Send me a comment, would love to hear from you!
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Look for These Five Signs to Retain Your Top Talent: Highly skilled engaged employees are invaluable to an organization’s bottom line. With the costs to hire and train new workers soaring through the roof, it’s important for businesses to retain valued employees. (recruiter.com)

Don't Overlook Veterans in Your Talent Search: New research by RightManagement, the talent and career management experts within ManpowerGroup, suggests that many employers largely disregard the unique skills and experiences of military veterans when considering a candidate for a position. This unfortunate oversight leads to missed opportunities in acquiring top talent. (Recruiter.com)

Monthly Expenses keeping Employees up at Night more than retirement savings: Keeping up with monthly expenses was the biggest financial worry, cited by 21% of those surveyed, followed by saving enough for retirement, which was cited by 18% of employees as their biggest financial concern. (Benefitnews.com)

Picasso never went to meetings: You're going to way too many meetings.: And yes, I do mean you. In fact, I'm thinking about you as I'm writing this. It's exactly 5.27am and I can picture your schedule for the rest of the day. All those meetings - in your office, in their office, in meeting rooms, 'conferenced in', synchronous, asynchronous, vital, tedious, overlapping and running long...always running long. (Predictablesuccess.com)

82% of Recruiters, Hiring Managers, HR, Find Evidence Of Discrimination Against the Unemployed: “I am very disturbed when I hear that employers don’t want to even look at resumes of people that have been out of work for 6 months or just (are) unemployed,” said Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis at Facebook’s announcement for their Social Jobs Partnership with the US Department of Labor, N.A.C.E., State Work Force, and Direct Employers. “It’s as though people have created this problem themselves, and that’s just not true.” (Recruiter.com)

18 of Your Burning Social Media Questions, Answered: Great follow up questions following a webinar all answered here. Valuable insights for any company engaged in social media...or even those just thinking about it. (The Hiring Site)

Wondering Why you are not able to Hire Effectively?: The problem might be you. To be sure, not every candidate is a rock star. But if you keep turning up dud after dud, the problem may not be the applicant pool. In a quest to find the best workers, entrepreneurs sometimes wind up adopting hiring practices that are actually detrimental to their companies. (inc.com)

Open Enrollment making you Sick?- Seven lessons this benefits pro has learned about staying healthy at the most stressful time of year: Open enrollment is often one of the busiest times of the year for most benefit professionals. After finishing all of the plan updates, budgets and the communication strategy, we have the open enrollment meetings. With any luck, you won't find yourself in a crowded room of people at the height of flu season. (Benefitnews.com)

Think you Know What Job Seekers Want? Think Again.: Is your recruitment process based on what you know about job seekers…or what you think you know about job seekers? (thehiringsite.com)

Tips for a new hire’s first 90 days on the job : The first 90 days are crucial when it comes to a new hire. If the fit is right, it can be the beginning of a successful long-term work relationship that benefits both employee and employer. If the fit is wrong, it can cost a company a great deal – both in time and money. (theglobeandmail.com)

Careerbuilder’s Q4 Hiring Forecast: Caution and seasonality are influencing hiring expectations for the fourth quarter as employers assess ongoing barriers to economic growth and wrap up 2011. Consistent with trends typically seen in the tail end of the calendar, employers anticipate a moderate slowdown in hiring. Twenty-one percent of hiring managers reported that they plan to hire full-time, permanent employees in Q4, down from Q3, but on par with 2010. (Careerbuilder)

Attention College Students: Make your holiday break useful!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 by Stacy Rouse

This post was written and published around this time last year. We felt like it was useful for many and therefore we have pulled it out, dusted it off and republished as a quick reminder and guide to all of the students out there who are anxiously looking forward to the upcoming holidays and the brief respite they may bring from your studies.

If you are a current college student it's probably your first week of holiday break and you are literally brain dead after cramming for final presentations, projects and exams. So you are at home in your sweats, propped up on the couch and your plan for the next 3-4 weeks is to be a couch potato while watching old episodes of "Jersey Shore" and to keep tabs on what your friends are doing all break through Facebook. Believe me, that sounds awesome...and I don't blame you for taking some time for yourself after a hectic semester. However, I would urge you to at least spend a little bit of your break focusing on your future career. In a time when internships and entry level jobs are scarce and your competition is getting more fierce, you have to be able to set yourself apart to employers. I have compiled a short list of items that you could do during break to make yourself more aware of current hiring trends and what Indianapolis job openings may be available after graduation.

Review the logs on file through the career center websites that list types positions held by alumnus in your field of study. Write down a few of the top positions that are of interest to you and do some research in order to get a better feel for where your strengths and interests would be best suited.

Schedule an informational interview. Talk to your friends and family to see if anyone can help you get an informal, informational interview with a company that has positions similar to the ones on which you have targeted your search.

Job shadow: This is very similar to the informational interview but a little more in depth. This is a great way to really see "A day in the life of______". There is no better way to figure out if a position is fit for you than to actually see the work first hand.

Give your resume some TLC and spend some time beefing it up a little bit. A good way to start is by translating your educational experince into relevant "work" experience. Add any organizational involvement onto your resume and detail out any skills that are utilized in the work you perform for those organizations. (If you aren't involved with any organizations, you better get involved quickly!) I would also recommend having a few HR Professionals or headhunters review it so that you can get the perspectives of a few different people within various industries. These conversations might also lead to potential Indianapolis job openings!

Again, I know it's not that exciting to think about doing "work" on your break, but if you spend this little bit of time and effort on preparing yourself for your job/internship search, the results will definitely pay off. At That's Good HR, working with new grads and college students is one of our favorite things to do so if you are seeking career advice, summer or seasonal work be sure to give us a ring!

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - November 4, 2011

Thursday, November 3, 2011 by Harry Danz

This week, I bring you all kinds of secrets and insights around finding, hiring, maintaining and retaining employees. I am even bringing up the "E" word (Engagement) because although it may be one of the annoying buzzwords that needs to be eliminated (according to one article below), it remains an important aspect of talent management (as mentioned by another article below). I am also sharing some great insights around working with staffing services from the American Staffing Association. What would a news week be these days without something being "Occupied"? Lastly, I included some good old economic news, as you can never have enough of that.
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Thinking about engaging a Staffing Service? Here are Five Tips you should know: According to the American Staffing Association, there are over 17,000 companies in the United States offering staffing services. Services include a variety of temporary, contract, permanent placement, and HR consulting services. (recruiter.com)

What HR Professionals Need to Know if your Employees decide to "Occupy Wall Street": The “Occupy Wall Street” protests are gaining steam across the country. Could employees who participate risk losing their jobs? Recent events show that the answer to this question is “yes,” at least in certain circumstances. (shrm.org)

October 2011 Economic Briefing: In September, Marion County’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.3 percent from 9.3 percent in August to 9.0 percent. (Developindy.com)

Employee Engagement still a Concern in : Seventy-one percent of American workers are "not engaged" or "actively disengaged" in their work, meaning they are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and are less likely to be productive. (Gallup.com)

Working with Employees that are just not nice: Insubordinate behavior, such as refusing to carry out a direct order, is grounds for termination. But before any action is taken, HR leaders should ensure that company policies explain what constitutes insubordination and make sure incidents are well-documented. (hreonline.com)

What The C-Suite Wants From HR: I don’t have a secret window into the world of executive leadership, but I do have a strong opinion on what the C-Suite wants and — more importantly — doesn’t want from Human Resources (weknownext.com)

7 Business Buzzwords That Need To Die: Once we’re bothered by something, we tend to notice it more. So it could be that the business buzzwords that make me cranky are no more significant than the guy who bumps my chair when he walks past--which, on second thought, isn’t a big deal, he’s been doing it for years. (fastcompany.com)

You May be Surprised About What is holding back your Wellness program: What is it? Nope, not your vending machine/cafeteria options. Not employee engagement (or lack thereof). It’s your desk. (benefitnews.com)

Conducting Winning Interviews: Although more emphasis tends to be placed on the interviewee rather than on the hiring manager, both roles are equally important. As the interviewer, the employer is looking to you to hire the right person for the job and sometimes sell the candidate on the position. (recruiter.com)

Job Seekers Require Employers to be more Forward-Thinking: A recent study conducted by CareerBuilder and Inavero indicates that over the past several years, job seekers have developed a highly complex, multi-faceted approach to the job search, in which they utilize today’s sophisticated technology to their advantage. (thehiringsite.com)

Healthcare costs will rise for some smokers, obese: In recent years, a growing number of companies have been encouraging workers to voluntarily improve their health to control escalating insurance costs. And while workers mostly like to see an employer offer smoking cessation classes and weight loss programs, too few are signing up or showing signs of improvement. (reuters.com)

You Might be Missing our on exceptional talent: In retrospect, the biggest blunders often seem inexplicable. Four different book publishers, for instance, passed on J.K. Rowling's first Harry Potter novel. A weird story about the adventures of a juvenile wizard and his friends just didn't seem worth a $5,000 advance. Oops. (fortune.cnn.com)

Why you Should Never Stop Learning...

Tuesday, November 1, 2011 by Karen Seketa

This blog post is for everyone. It does not matter if you are a job seeker, a stay at home parent, an HR professional, a Headhunter or someone who has a great job and life is good. Nothing is a sure thing these days so no matter what your situation, you should always be seeking ways to improve your knowledge, your skills, yourself. I recently came across this video created by IBM titled "THINK" and in watching it, I was overwhelmed with the sheer scope of what we are capable of and how much more we can do. Take a peek at it when you have a chance.

Once you stop learning, you stop living. Status quo is rigor mortis when it comes to progress. Doing things the same way today because that is the way you have always done them simply means that you are not invested in learning and evolving with the rest of the world. Time to get out of your comfort zone and start learning and living.

Look around you, ask questions, challenge processes, debate the status quo, have provocative discussions about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If you cannot find someone around you to have these interactions in a non-threatening and safe way, find new people to hang out with and talk to. No one says it better than Joseph Heller in his book "Catch 22" with this line. "“[They] agreed that it was neither possible nor necessary to educate people who never questioned anything.”

It does not matter if the economy is in the dumps or you have too much to do and too little time or if you are just too tired to learn anything new. Stop learning and this will be your reality forever after. Why am I so passionate about this? My strengths lie in teaching and providing. I thrive on engaging with others in way that makes me a better person or helps them to look at the world in a different (hopefully better) way.

Seth Godin does a great job illustrating this and other great points about "What Matters Most" in this slideshow. One of the things that this presentation talks about is the Ripple Effect of learning. On slide 23, one of the contributors, John Wood, says: "Education has a ripple effect. One drop can initiate a cascade of possibility, each concentric circle gaining in size and traveling further." If you have a few minutes I recommend that you read through this slide presentation - you will learn something of value.

In the Staffing industry, the way we do business is constantly changing. Every day, there are new laws, processes, interpretations, technology or products that require those in our business to be constantly learning. If we do not, we are behind almost immediately. As a candidate in the middle of your Indianapolis job search, you too have to keep learning to stay on top of who is hiring, why, how to apply, how to network, what skills to learn or improve and how to interview.

Get out there and find a way to constantly learn from the world around you. Even if it is just one small thing every day. Do this and you will find that while the world keeps moving and changing, you will not be left behind.

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - October 21, 2011

Thursday, October 20, 2011 by Harry Danz

How about we mix it up and have a little fun this week? With the gloomy weather and the less than encouraging news on the economic front, it is important to stop and reflect on things that make us smile now and then. Not to worry, I have still included some of the important, serious stuff so you will not feel like you are wasting time and enjoying yourself too much. I have, however, included some whimsical, amusing and interesting features to lighten up your week. Enjoy...and watch out for that penguin.
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Is Shy Bladder Syndrome a Disability?: Does being unable to pee on cue qualify as a disability? That question came up recently in an informal opinion letter from Peggy Mastroianni, a lawyer with the EEOC. And, apparently, the answer could be “yes.” (hrmorning.com)

SHRM's update on the Health Reform's Long-Term Care Program: On Oct. 14, 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced in a letter to Congress that the 2010 health care reform law's program to provide long-term care insurance through the workplace was unworkable and would not be implemented. (SHRM.org)

Do Flexible work strategies work for employers with a nonexempt workforce? Hourly and nonexempt workers - already traditionally lower paid - tend to have additional constraints placed upon them without the aid of flexibility to balance their responsibilities. (benefitnews)

Expressions of Compassion for your Downsized friends...: I was in a Hallmark store looking for a sympathy card recently and you'll never guess what I found. For $3.49 you can now send an "I'm sorry you lost your job" card. (fistfuloftalent)

What's in a Title? Not enough to make you a Leader... You earn followership based on your own ability to contribute value to the process, people and performance. (passiononpurposeblog.com)

Death and Taxes - a Visual exercise: Data is not useful until it becomes information, and that's because data is hard for human beings to digest. This has a very cool graphic called “Death and Taxes” that you should take a look at. (Seth Godin)

YouTube Insult Generator Makes it so much easier to be Mean: Some YouTube commenters have turned rudeness into an art form, and a new “search engine for insults” lets you easily harvest the fruits of their ludicrous invective. (wired.com)

Too many workers leaving 401k matching dollars on the table: Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. this week issued an investor alert urging the roughly 30% of American workers who are not contributing enough to their 401(k) plans to receive a full employer match to step up their contributions in order to meet their eventual retirement needs.(benefitnews)

What Makes Great Employees G: Everyone knows great employees are dependable, reliable, proactive, great team players, have strong work ethics… all the standard (yet often uncommon) qualities. (bnet.com)

Bye Bye Baby Boomers? Not so Fast: The long-awaited retirement of the hordes of 76 million baby boomers born between 1945 and 1964 has begun. But some employees aren't ready to say goodbye to their cubicles or labs, and some companies don't want to lose valuable employees. (management.fortune.cnn.com)

Protect Your Nest. Criminal' penguin caught on film: The team, filming for the documentary Frozen Planet, spent four months with the penguin colony on Ross Island, Antarctica. The footage they captured shows a male penguin stealing stones from its neighbour's nest. (bbc.co.uk)

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - October 7, 2011

Thursday, October 6, 2011 by Harry Danz

Fall is officially upon us. As the days get shorter and the air cooler, we all just want to pick some apples, carve a pumpkin or wrap up in a blanket by a fire and take a big nap. My job is to free up some time to allow you to do just that by boiling down the news of the week to a few pertinent items that will make you sound like a genius. This week I have focused on some interesting HR recruiting, interviewing, on boarding and development tips. Of course, there has to be some social media focused news in there too. So, get out those marshmallow roasting sticks because this will be a great weekend to use them.

Are Prospective Employers Looking at your Facebook page? You bet they are.. Creativity, Well-Roundedness, & 'Chastity‘: We all know that employers Facebook stalk us before hiring us (or before deciding not to hire us). In an oft-cited survey released by Microsoft Research in 2010, 70% of recruiters said they’d rejected applicants based on info they found online. (forbes.com)

The Importance of Social Media from the perspective of Richard Branson: Where most corporate blogs still house formal announcements, the Virgin Group website hosts a blog written with Branson’s first-person flair. Many of them read like diary entries. (mashable.com)

How Companies Utilize Telecommuting as a Retention Tool: Companies that allow or encourage their employees to telecommute rather than come to the office are more interested in maintaining a happy workforce than achieving any direct cost savings, experts and corporate executives say. (cnbc.com)

"Pay For Performance" May not be what Generation Y is Looking for: Many money-motivated Millennials (and they do exist) will bolt to new opportunities as soon as the great recession of 2007-20?? eases up...unless you happen to be an organization that recognizes their potential. (fastcompany.com)

The Best Recruits May Not Be Who You Think: When I hired him, Shaq was barely qualified to use a computer, let alone conduct detailed forensic examinations on hard drives that later had to stand up in court and pass the rigors of cross examination. (wsj.com)

Job Interview putting you to Sleep? Try asking about their Dreams: Sometimes all it takes is one question to spring the lid open and let the personality fly out. As someone who interviews people for a living, I have a few favorites. And this one is my all-time, absolute, works-every time, ace up my sleeve: “What dream came true for you when you said ‘yes’ to your last job offer?” (hrcsuite.com)

Helping new hires adjust to your unique culture: New hires may fail because of unrealistic expectations. But there’s another big reason some don’t make the grade: They just can’t grasp your organization’s culture, so they never learn to operate successfully in it. (rapidlearninginstitute.com)

HR Needs To Be The Department of Errors and Corrections...: To be successful HR needs to move from the department of enforcement to the department of corrections. I’m cereal folks, super cereal. (fistfuloftalent)

US Labor Department launches economic and employment statistics app: The most up-to-date employment data and economic news releases from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics and its Employment and Training Administration now can be viewed using a new mobile application. (dol)

October Employment Outlook from Simply Hired: Today, SimplyHired.com released its October employment outlook highlighting national and local market forecasts, and industry and employer trends. (simplyhired.com)

Problem Employees: Keep them or Kick them to the Curb? We call an unmanageable employee (UE) an employee who exhibits constant, repeated, unproductive behavior. Everyone has a bad day, a bad week, sometimes even a bad month, depending on what’s going on in their life. But we’re talking about someone who’s constantly, repeatedly – on a fairly long-term basis – unproductive. This book is about helping managers uncover what they need to put UEs back on track. (thehiringsite)

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - September 30, 2011

Friday, September 30, 2011 by Harry Danz

Social networking and technology tips continue to dominate the news this week. As a seasoned Executive Recruiter, I find myself always looking for ways to become more efficient without sacrificing quality service delivery. This is a fine balance and as we all become more active in social media circles, it becomes critical to understand how to behave online. Whether I am talking to candidates about their Indianapolis job search or talking with clients about their Indianapolis job openings, the subject of social networking always comes up. It is important to balance this with what it going on with employees inside your organization. As you are building your strategy for next year, make sure you understand how emerging technology and social platforms will impact the way you do business in the future. Follows are some relevent articles on all these topics and more. As a matter of fact, there were so many interesting news articles that came across my screen this week that it was difficult to keep this post brief. Enjoy!
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Navigating the tricky waters of Facebook policies for employers, workers: In the age of instant tweets and impulsive Facebook posts, some companies are still trying to figure out how they can limit what their employees say about work online without running afoul of the law. (CBSnews.com)

Demographic Trends for HR: Eldercare: The New Childcare?: SHRM’s research shows that members feel two key demographic trends are the growth in the number of workers with eldercare responsibilities, and those with both childcare and eldercare responsibilities. (weknownext.com)

Global Trend that Could Leave Unsuspecting HR Pros in the dust : Does your open position or call for performance feedback have a better shot at being acted upon if it's emailed or texted? (hrcapitalist.com)

Success at work influenced by Positive Attitude: Predicting an employee’s future success at a company has traditionally stumped experts, and relying on metrics such as IQ level, only tells 25% of the story. What makes up the other 75%, according to Shawn Achor, Harvard researcher and positive psychology expert, is the optimism that your behavior matters, a positive social support system, and whether you view a challenge as a stress or an impetus to improve. (benefitnews.com)

Don't Have a strong Growth Strategy? Might be hard to hold onto your Best People: Growth is one of the most critical currencies your company trades with its employees. In some cases, employees see it as even more important than the salary they receive–-particularly younger workers looking to advance. (fastcompany.com)

Protecting Unemployed Against Hiring Bias-What Obama thinks: Mr. Obama’s jobs bill would prohibit employers from discriminating against job applicants because they are unemployed. (nytimes.com)

Get Ahead of Workplace Stress: Although a certain amount of job stress is to be expected, stress in the workplace can be costly because it affects not just individual well-being but also organizational performance. (forbes.com)

How to Behave in an Online Community: If you have spent time above ground in the past few years, you have heard about the business value of participating in online communities. Participating in any online community can be hard to do right. (recruiter.com)

Losing Sleep over the High Cost of Sleeplessness: Insomnia is creating expense and danger for employees and employers alike, and it's up to HR leaders to train their own staffs, as well as all managers, on ways to deal with it. Communicating information on EAPs, providing some quiet areas for power naps and offering suggestions on ways to de-stress and relax at home are some options. (hreonline.com)

Provocative Interview Questions one Professional Swears by: Here are my all-time-best, surefire, weed-out-the-losers-and-pretenders interview questions: (businessnewsdaily.com)

Health insurance costs surge in 2011: The cost of employer-sponsored health insurance surged this year, snapping a trend toward moderate growth, but experts say these increases may slow again in 2012. (washingtontimes.com)

What the C-Suite wants from HR now: Last week while working with a client I was fortunate to attend a business briefing where a panel of 4 CEO’s talked very specifically about what they want from HR. The focus of the conversation was how they define a “strategic HR business partner” and “what they want and need from HR now.” (passiononpurposeblog.com)

Thoughts from Seth Godin on The forever recession (and the coming revolution): There are actually two recessions: The first is the cyclical one, the one that inevitably comes and then inevitably goes. The other recession, though, the one with the loss of "good factory jobs" and systemic unemployment--I fear that this recession is here forever. (sethgodin.com)

Filling a Chair or Positioning Your Company For Long Term Sustainable Growth?

Tuesday, September 27, 2011 by Harry Danz

This blog post is from an article posted on Inside Indiana Business this week. You can access the article here.

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I have long been a proponent and a fan of the Marcus Buckingham school of thought around building a productive team by focusing on the strengths of individuals rather than by simply matching people and experiences with specific roles.

For those of you not familiar with Marcus Buckingham or strengths based hiring the basic premise is that each of us has natural strengths and that more attention should be paid on leveraging one’s strengths versus spending time on or worrying about one’s weaknesses. At That’s Good HR, our whole staff participates in the Clifton Stengthsfinder assessment and our internal roles have been customized to focus as much as possible on the strengths each person has. I have found that when employees come to work each day and spend the majority of their time doing the things they like to do (or even things they don’t particularly like to do in a way they like to do them), the result is a highly productive and positive work environment.

Truth be told, this has not been easy to maintain over the past 24 months. The economy has been brutal to our industry just as it has to most others. When times are tough and companies must get lean, managing a business that allows employees to work within their strengths requires a whole new management strategy. The reality of our recent past is that you have to have a team that is willing to take on the crappy stuff now and then as you navigate the choppy and uncharted waters. Your short term strategy may very well include everyone working at whatever you need done to stay afloat, strengths or not. Now, if you do it right, you will always have tasks that can be distributed based on who does them best or likes doing them the most and the rest will simply require a divide and conquer methodology.

Notice I said this was a short term strategy. This is important because if you ask people to take on work that is in no way interesting or exciting to them for the short term, you will find people willing to take one for the team. If this turns into your long term strategy, you are going to end up with an all out mutiny or a quiet rebellion at a minimum. Once you begin to recover, you need to shift your talent back to focusing in areas where their strengths lie as much as you possibly can. Innovation and productivity will be your pay off as well as a workforce that is generally happy to come to work. Surround yourself with people who have varied strengths to optimize the outcome no matter what the task at hand.

Nearly two decades in the search and placement industry have taught me many things. One of the most important of these being that forcing the square peg into the round hole for short term personal gain is bad business 100% of the time. The pressure to fill critical roles in an organization leads to bad hiring decisions and costly mistakes all too often. You can build a very compelling business case for taking the time necessary to fill important roles with the right person rather than just filling it fast. Finding the right person requires time and energy focused on truly understanding the strengths of the individual and if/how they are compatible with the role you are filling. The success of your business depends on this kind of focus on your most valuable asset…human capital. Be sure to give it the attention it deserves, not only for high level critical positions, but for roles at all levels of your organization. If you teach your hiring managers how to do this correctly, the return will be well worth the investment to both your employees and your company.

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - September 16, 2011

Thursday, September 22, 2011 by Harry Danz

So, I just had to put the article in here about the "Love affair with your office chair", as we are currently going through an office chair upgrade in our offices right now. The work-life balance issues are getting more scrutiny lately so there is some of that in this week's update as well. Technology and specifically social media are continuing to change at lightening speed and this week it seems there was more news around technology issues than usual. Read on to make sure that you are not a social media jerk. We were just talking about the mobile phone topic in a meeting today so I have included an article on tax implications. Fall officially begins on Friday so get those pumpkins out and dust off the s'mores sticks, bonfire season is upon us!
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Is There Really Such a Thing as Work-Life Balance?: More than two decades and countless discussions after the term “work-life balance” entered the workforce lexicon, we don’t seem to be any closer to figuring out how to achieve it. Author Matthew Kelly believes he knows why. (thehiringsite)

Tips and Tricks for Developing an Online Reputation Management Strategy: Online reputation management (ORM) has become a critical component to many corporate branding campaigns in 2011. With all of the online conversations happening today, the ability to replace positive sentiment with the negative is a primary goal of any reputation management strategy. (clickz.com)

Make Sure you are Ready To Hire Generation Z: Just as companies have adjusted to the demands of generation Y, a new generation is set to graduate from college: generation Z. (openforum)

Coaching Tools for Managers...Stop Talking and Start Listening: Coaching for better performance. Most managers think they're great coaches. Most aren't. (hrcapitalist.com)

Hiring for Cultural Fit – Making it Tangible: When it comes to hiring, it’s easy for recruiters, HR and hiring managers to focus on a candidate’s technical qualifications and skip right over the things that are harder to quantify – like cultural fit. (unbridledtalent.com)

IRS publishes guidance on tax treatment of mobile phones: The Internal Revenue Service has released guidance aimed at clarifying the tax treatment of mobile phones provided by employers to their employees. (benefitnews.com)

Several HR-Related Provisions in the Obama Jobs Bill: When the Obama administration rolled out the much-anticipated American Jobs Act (S. 1549) on Sept. 12, 2011, the $447 billion proposal presented the classic good news/bad news scenario to HR professionals and their organizations. (SHRM.org)

'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repealed: It's official: Gay soldiers can finally say so. The repeal of the 1993 law that banned gay military personnel from serving openly went into effect Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. after years of fierce debate in both Congress and the armed services. (nydailynews.com)

You Know you are a Social Media Jerk When: For the first time, your online profile can determine, in part, the outcome of your business and the success of your job search. It’s time to make sure you don’t look like a social media jerk. (Recruiter.com)

Love Affair With An Office Chair: The office is a popular place for forming friendships and even finding lovers. But these days, some people’s deepest office attachment is to their chairs.

Sooner or Later, It is up to you...

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 by Karen Seketa

Last week, my 8 year old son came home from school and informed me that he intended to run for the "student action committee" for the 3rd grade. Three children would be "elected" based on a poster they would make and a speech they would deliver to an audience of peers. I congratulated him on his ambition and wished him the best of luck. What I did not do, however, was manage his campaign, create his poster and write his speech.

I did listen to his speech and coached him on delivery. No matter how much I wanted to, I did not change a word of his speech because it would no longer be his and if he was going to win, I wanted it to be on his merits, not mine. This turned out to put him at a great disadvantage and he did not win, but I was very proud of him taking this challenge on all by himself. He was upset because he said that the other speeches had so many big words and ideas in them that he did not even understand them. I understood...perfectly. I felt guilty for about 1 second and then I told him that someday he would thank me for encouraging him to taking responsibility for the outcomes in his life. He did not buy it....yet.

How early is too early to teach a child to take responsibility for what life will throw their way? I have no idea what the answer is, but I know that no matter when you choose to teach this important lesson, it is not easy to let go. We seem to live in a society where kids get ahead based on the efforts and influence of their parents for so long that sometimes I feel I am part of a minority of parents who do not make it my job to make sure my kids get everything they want.

I know that in the staffing industry, our expectation is that the individuals we work with are ultimately responsible for the success of their job search. While we represent them as a conduit between their skills and the needs of our clients, the candidates are the ones who hold all of the cards as to whether or not they will get or keep a job. Putting together a great resume and cover letter may require some help from another resource, friend or parent but at the end of the day there would be no resume if the candidate did not personally accomplish all of the elements that make up a good resume.

No job interview can be successful without the candidate effectively communicating their capabilities all on their own. That means, no "parent" in the room to tell the hiring official how great their kid is. Behavioral interviewing eliminates the usefulness of scripts or coached answers that someone else can write for you. If you did not experience the situation, action and result the interviewer is asking you about, you cannot answer the question properly. If you did not come up with the action or solution yourself, you cannot answer the question properly either. No longer does riding on the coattails of others work in the present interview environment and even if it did, you would not last long in a job that was secured on pretense rather than true capabilities.

Which takes me back to my first question....How early is too early to teach a child that to take responsibility for what life will throw their way? I would love to hear your ideas.

Why We Love What We Do...

Tuesday, September 6, 2011 by Karen Seketa

Next week is National Staffing Employee week, sponsored by the American Staffing Association. While a day does not go by when we don't recognize the importance of our temporary employees, this time of year provides an opportunity to stop and really reflect on what our employees mean to us. As we gear up for this celebration next week, I would like to share with you one of the things we love about our jobs here at That's Good HR. Our temporary employees are not afraid to share their stories with us. We love to hear from our employees...the good, the bad and the ugly. We really love it when one of our stars is successful in pursuit of their career goals and we can play a part in it. Here is a blog submitted by one of our recent temporary employees who came to us right out of college and he made us proud. I would like to introduce Mr. Camron Humphreys from Greencastle, Indiana. Here is what he had to say:

"I had just graduated from college. Like many recent grads I had no idea what I wanted to do and no real job opportunities. Enter That’s Good HR. I heard about That’s Good HR from a friend of mine who had had previous success finding a job. Not having any options I quickly saw the value in having help finding career opportunities. I applied and was introduced to Jessica who immediately started helping me find a job. It was summer time and I was still living in my college home with a multitude of distractions. I would usually spend a couple of hours a day looking for jobs then get distracted by roommates wanting to play basketball or myriad other diversions. Jessica, however, was constantly looking for a job for me, which was invaluable. I would receive numerous calls throughout the day as opportunities would pop up. It was really nice knowing that someone had my back and that they were genuinely interested in helping me start a career. Eventually Jessica found me a temporary job, and although it wasn’t in my field of study it gave me a solid source of income and some real world experience that proved to be invaluable as my job search continued. Having a temporary job also afforded me the comfort and opportunity to search for jobs that were more aligned with my field of study. I eventually found such a position and was on my way. My experience with That’s Good HR was crucial to finding the job that was perfect for me."

Thank you to Camron for taking the time to tell his story and thank you to all of our outstanding That's Good HR employees as we come off of Labor Day weekend and approach National Staffing Employee Week. Do you have a story to tell? We would love to hear from you! Just visit our Share Your Success page by clicking this link and send us your thoughts.

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - August 19, 2011

Thursday, August 18, 2011 by Harry Danz

It has been a week of frustrating computer challenges and it is amazing how dependant we have become on the speed and efficiency of technology. When we cannot skim pages and pages of news articles in the blink of an eye we actually start to feel the stress of not being fully informed. Scary but true. It may just be a personal issue that I need to get some professional help for, but I am guessing it is not just me who feels this way. We want the news and we want it now and we want it fast. We want to read it and digest it quickly so we can move on to the next set of information to consume. Am I right? That said, here is a snapshot of some important news items from this week. Hopefully you can skim and consume quickly and glean some information of value so you can get on with your weekend!

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How Google keeps up with the Quality of search results: SEO.com has released an infographic on Google’s efforts to provide quality search results high. It’s an interesting look back at the key initiatives that Google has undertaken to combat sites from undeservedly dominating search results. (marketing tech blog)

Federal agencies issue clarifying PPACA guidance; The one-year anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has come and gone, and federal agencies continue to issue clarifying guidance on several of its provisions. (Benefit news)

Surprisingly High number of People live Paycheck to Paycheck: A new survey released by CareerBuilder - a major job board and global leader in human capital solutions, suggests that the number of workers living check to check has returned to pre-recession levels. (Careerbuilder)

Finding Finance talent a challenge: Nearly half of U.S. finance executives say it is somewhat or very challenging to find skilled talent, according to a recent study. (StaffingIndustry)

Recruiting and Hiring on the Increase - Get ready: The quarterly CFO Outlook Survey from Financial Executives International and Baruch College’s Zicklin School of Business found that 57% of U.S. CFOs plan to hire additional employees at their companies in the next six months. (Benefit News)

Performance Reviews - the Perfect Place to Improve your Coaching Skills... Had someone ask me yesterday how they could eliminate the performance review at their company. Really? Really. It's trendy to say that performance reviews are broken and must be eliminated from corporate life. (FistfulofTalent)

5 Things To Know About The ADA : The Americans with Disabilities Act has been around for more than 20 years. Still, small businesses continue to be uncertain about what they are or are not required to do in order to comply (OpenForum)

Benefits Trends in U.S. Organizations: An overview of the latest findings from the SHRM 2011 Employee Benefits Research Report (SHRM)

Employers Value Emotional Intelligence Over IQ: a majority of employers are listening their hearts when it comes to hiring, and placing a higher emphasis on candidates’ emotional intelligence than their IQ’s.

New Affordable Care Act proposal to help consumers better understand and compare benefits and coverage: the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury proposed new rules under the Affordable Care Act that will enable consumers to easily understand their health coverage and determine the best health insurance options for themselves and their families. (dol.gov)

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - July 22, 2011

Thursday, July 21, 2011 by Harry Danz

I am not even going to comment on the heat this week, because you all know exactly how hot it is out there and you don't need me to update you on that news. I will, however, pass along some news about hot dogs, meeting hell and Indy being a hot place to live and work. Of course, the news update would not be complete without some news about FMLA, some survey results and the NLRB. Enjoy a cold one while you catch up on your weekly news!
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Firing employee for eating hot dogs unjustified: (Reuters) Thu Jul 14, 2011 - You might think this sounds ridiculous, but in the case of Nolan Koewler of Evansville, Indiana you should heed this example of why you need to be clear with all of your employees, even when it comes to processed meat.

Is it Hot in Here? Around the table in meeting hell: Those whom the Lord wishes to punish for their waywardness he sends to meetings. Here is who you might find when you get there. (Baltimore Sun)

HR Focuses on Retirement-Plan Governance: The number of lawsuits, combined with regulatory complexity, the growing cost of benefits and the volatility of investments, has motivated some U.S. companies to beef up the governance of their retirement plans, say experts. (HREonline)

Indy makes the list!! 5 Places With Good Jobs And Cheap Housing: This Hoosier city scored high on every list. The city boasts 10 sports teams, an a amazing city park system, including Canal Walk, and one of the nation's top museums, Indianapolis Children's Museum.

Butler University, Ice Miller LLP, and Inside INdiana Business Announce CEO Survey Results: What does it take to start, grow and sustain a business in Indiana? How important is foreign competition? What’s the state’s role in economic development and what initiatives offer the greatest growth opportunities? (INCEOsurvey.com)

Trade groups press NLRB to slow down union election rules: Business and labor advocates swamped the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on Tuesday to battle over a plan that likely will speed up union elections. (thehill.com)

Money Quote of the Day to Impress Your CFO from the HRCapitalist...: Don't act like you don't need it, HR. You want me on this wall, you NEED me on this wall. (HRcapitalist)

Hiring Discrimination Against the Unemployed: Federal Bill Outlaws Excluding the Unemployed from Job Opportunities, as Discriminatory Ads Persist

Employee wasn't covered under FMLA because of lies, court rules : A Sears employee who was fired when he lied and said he needed time off for cancer treatment -- when it was really because of his bipolar disorder -- did not have his rights violated under the Family Medical Leave Act, a federal court has ruled. Since he misrepresented his illness, he was not covered, the court ruled. (HR morning)

Health Care Reform: The Debate Continues : Some executives thought health care reform would lower costs over the next two years, but most were uncertain or felt the ACA would increase costs. This impression is not surprising given the confusion surrounding the status of the ACA and what the future will bring. (inceosurvey)