Management Positions Indianapolis

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!

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.

So much more than a Survey....The Importance of Feedback

Tuesday, December 27, 2011 by Karen Seketa

So, I was browsing Wikipedia and looked up the definition of feedback to see if it was consistent with the level of importance that we put on the survey feedback that we get here at That's Good HR. Here is the definition that I found:

"Feedback describes the situation when output from (or information about the result of) an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or occurrences of the same (i.e. same defined) event / phenomenon (or the continuation / development of the original phenomenon) in the present or future."

We ask our candidates and our clients how we are doing as often as we possibly can. After interviewing in our office, every candidate receives a survey and at the conclusion of each assignment, we send a survey to ask both the client and the candidate about their experience with us and with each other. The feedback that we receive from these surveys is critical to how we conduct and manage our business. The feedback that we do not receive is most likely even more crucial, but because we do not receive it, we are missing some great input into process improvements or reinforcements.

Our surveys are very short and easy to respond to - they take about 3-5 minutes, tops. We read, analyze and appreciate every single word of input and feedback that we receive from these surveys. We also invite our clients and candidates to Share their Story right here on our blog as well. To hear from our customers about how we are doing is the highlight of our day - even if the feedback is negative, we are excited because only when we know what we might be doing wrong, can we correct it or make it right.

This feedback not only challenges us to be better at what we do, it gives us an opportunity to thank our temporary employees when they do a great job on an assignment. When we get excellent feedback from a customer, we send a special thank you to that employee. This feedback also helps us to learn more about the culture and environment at our customer locations. This information can only make us better at what we do. There simply is no downside for asking how you are doing for your customers at any point in the service delivery process that you can.

So, how do we encourage our Indianapolis staffing customers to provide feedback? Our current response rate on our surveys ranges between 55-75%, which simply stated, means we are missing out on a lot of great information. We are trying some new tricks and ideas here to increase that rate. I will let you know how they go, but we would love to hear some ideas from our Indianapolis staffing audience as well!

In the meantime, I encourage you to have your voice heard, provide feedback on your experiences whenever you can. With modern technology and the amount if information at your fingertips on the Internet we are all relying on each

other more and more to tell us what you think about....well, anything at all! For example, when I look up a new recipe on line, I pay attention to the comments and ratings from others who have tried it out already. This helps me to know that this recipe works better with olive oil instead of butter without going through the trial and error myself. Good stuff!

At That's Good HR, we get a large percentage of our candidates and clients through referrals so for us, telling other people what you think is of great value. So, keep talking, Indianapolis, people like me want to hear from you!

Let's Chat about Live Chat

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 by Karen Seketa

Over two decades of Indianapolis Staffing industry experience have transformed me into a demanding customer when I am in need of some good customer service myse

lf. I figure that Monday - Friday (and sometimes Sat and Sun too), I make sure I dish out the best possible customer service to my customers. All I am asking for is a little of the same from my own service providers. I have to admit, usually I am pleasantly surprised...but not always. Every once in awhile I need to TALK to someone about a problem I am having - but NO, instead I get caught up in customer service "please hold for the next available customer service rep while you listen to this crummy music" hell. This happened to me recently and after investing an embarrassing amount of time attempting to conquer the on hold circle of defeat, I decided to investigate the deep dark depths of their website to see if there was any hope of a live person I could reach to help me out.

This is where I stumbled across the "Live Chat" option. It was not prominently displayed on the site, but I found it and although pensive about pouring my heart out to a stranger on the Internet, I was desperate enough to use it. I am happy to report that my experience was pleasantly satisfying and the process of typing out my "problem" turned out to be rather cathartic. The customer service rep on the other end of my "chat" was polite, helpful and took care of my problem in 3 questions or less. Now, the emotional reactions and facial expressions demonstrated by my helper on the other side of the keyboard might have been frustration or exasperation about my issue, but as far as I was concerned, they passed the test of great customer service.

I was not sure how I would feel about giving credit to a pseudo-personal method of communicating with your customers. I am, after all, a tried and true student of the school of personal communication being the very best way to take care of your customers. Face to face is even better, but we all know that is an impossible dream with a large customer base that is geographically spread out. Phone communication is the next best way to take care of your customers with that personal touch. These days, email is the preferred method of communication for many, but it leaves so much open for interpretation that is is n

ot always the most effective method. Now I find myself sitting here pondering how cool it might be to have the "live chat" option for a service such as ours? I have not thought it fully through yet and have many potential challenges to this approach in the staffing industry already formulating in my head. That said, it might be the next thing on the list of "expected" service delivery options so it would be wise to mull it over.

At That's Good HR, I have to admit that we make ourselves available to our customers at all times. We try very hard to be proactive in our approach to talent management, but when you are working with the human element things come up, so it is critical to be available and ready to help. Our "live chat" option right now is the own mobile device that each of us carries which offers a personal touch to the support we provide. Not sure we are quite ready to give that up yet. More to come...

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 - December 2, 2011

Thursday, December 1, 2011 by Harry Danz

With the first snowfall of the year we are reminded of the importance of being prepared as the weather takes a turn for the worse. I thought I was prepared, as I pro-actively purchased yet another snow scraper for my car well over a month ago. This is a fancy one with a retractable handle and double brush. This would be the shining star of my snow scraper collection. Yesterday, upon emerging from my warm office at the end of the day to brave the snowy drive home; it occurred to me that while was proactive in the purchase of the snow scraper, my failure to leave it in my car rendered it useless to me in my time of need. Lesson learned.

My hope for you is that my weekly news updates contribute to your ability to be prepared for HR and legal issues and challenges as they develop. Preparing for a storm is one thing, but staying on top of the daily maintenance of small issues before they become big ones is just as important (if not more important). Here are some of the top HR and legal news updates I came across this week.
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20 States to See Tax Hike on Employers: Federal unemployment taxes will rise for employers in 20 states and the Virgin Islands. Those employers are losing part of a credit on federal unemployment taxes in 2011 because their state governments have unpaid balances for two or more years on federal funds borrowed to pay state unemployment claims. (Staffing Industry.com)

Checking Social Media on a Potential New Hire? Here are some Tips: According to this recent SHRM survey, only 18 percent of companies have used social media to screen job candidates. Most cite the legal risks of screening candidates as the reason for not implementing a social-media background check. (tlnt.com)

Bill to extend payroll tax cust to be introduced by Democrats: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Monday that he plans to introduce legislation this week that would extend the payroll tax cut that is due to expire at the end of the year. (benefitnews.com)

Why more folds are waiting to Retire: A recent Wells Fargo survey of 1,500 Americans between the ages of 20 and 70 reveals that 20% of them believe that they will “need to work until at least age 80” to live comfortably into retirement. (recruiter.com)

A current snapshot of the Indianapolis/Marion County economy is now available for you to view. Inside you will find current economic indicators including: Employment Statistics, Current Real Estate Statistics , Recent Jobs Announcements (developindy.org)

Good Tips here on How NOT to fire someone: 5 common mistakes: Unless you're a natural bully, firing someone is never fun. It is, of course, a necessary part of being a manager, and it's a skill that can be honed. (cbsnews.com)

Employer Reactions to Internet Use at Work: Though it’s expected that workers will use the Internet for non-work purposes during breaks, lunch hours, and in moderation, Web activity spilling into work time is when many employers put their collective feet (adorned with 50 percent off Black Friday Blowout shoes, thankyouverymuch) down. (thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com)

Do you Measure Performance? Some: Management gurus like Peter Drucker have long since put to bed the idea that measuring performance really does improve performance significantly more than if you don’t measure. But this isn’t the reason driving most people’s participation in performance measurement. Let’s look at a few of the most common reasons, and see how compelling they are. (staceybarr.com)

Office Distractions - 6 of the Biggest: When productivity is high, your business provides better service and you are most likely making more money. But when it is low, or there are distractions among your staff, it can have a big impact not only on productivity, but on customer service, team morale and the overall state of your business. (openforum.com)

Free Guide by the NLRB Teaches Employers about Social Media Policies in the Workplace: A new employer guide entitled, “Can I Fire This Twit Over That Tweet?. Theisguide will assist HR managers in understanding social media labor laws and what behaviors at work constitute employee misconduct. (recruiter.com)

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!

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.

Have you noticed the Indianapolis job market changing?

Tuesday, October 4, 2011 by Tiffany Moore

First of all I want to apologize if you haven’t heard from me during these last few months. The reason? The market is changing and we have been extremely busy. I know this may come as a shock to you if you have seen the recent unemployment rates but it is true! We noticed the market changing at the beginning of the summer when the candidates who registered were getting positions quickly after registering and our contract workers started turning in their notice because they found permanent employment.

The industry information that we receive on a monthly basis shows that in April 2011, it became more difficult to find the candidate than the job. What that means is that it could be returning to a “candidate’s market.” There is no question from our perspective that hiring managers cannot continue to do the things they have been doing the past few years. As a hiring manager, you need to move quickly on candidates that you are interested in. You cannot wait as long as you have in the past to make hiring decisions. Also, now that you are up against competition, you will have to pay more competitive salaries because the candidates have more opportunities to choose from and often the highest bidder wins.

Let’s add some fuel to the fire. If you are targeting candidates that have a college degree, the unemployment rate is below 4.5% (see this illustration from the Bureau of Labor Statistics). There is a good article addressing this topic that states:

"To put it another way, more than 95 percent of college graduates in the United States are working – in the aftermath of one of the worst recessions in living memory." ibtimes.com

So even though you have probably heard that unemployment rates are close to 9%, that isn’t an accurate number when you are targeting a degreed Accountant. Inside Indiana Business reported last week that only 33 out of every 100 Indiana public college students graduate with a four year degree within eight years. This helps create the shortage of candidates in Indiana that have a college degree.

I have spoken to several of my HR hiring managers and they have communicated that they are seeing the things mentioned above. I would love to hear your thoughts, please sound in by posting a comment on my blog and let me know your thoughts!

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)

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - September 2, 2011

Thursday, September 1, 2011 by Harry Danz

It has been a big week for gathering great HR information if you were fortunate enough to attend the Annual Indiana HR Conference held in Downtown Indianapolis. If you were unable to participate in this educational and social event, be sure to get it on your calendar for 2012! I decided to mix it up a bit this week with some business news as well as some articles that might be personally interesting to you. We have to lighten it up a bit here and there and as we are heading into a holiday weekend, here is some reading material to keep you sharp. Happy Labor Day!
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Is Less Really More? It Seems Some Think so: How keeping things simple can bring success. (fastcompany)

Look out for these LinkedIn Mistakes you should not make: I see many people making fundamental mistakes as job seekers that actually work against them in this aspect. If you’re going to spend time putting together a LinkedIn profile, I assume you want to maximize your chances of being contacted by the right people, right? (New Grad Life)

NLRB Sides With Unions In Three Cases: The National Labor Relations Board sided with unions in several cases involving rules for organizing workers, in a set of decisions likely to further rile business groups and Republicans. (Wall Street Journal)

It is Good For you to Work with People you Like: Social support at work leads to a longer life, according to a new study. HR can help facilitate that by adding a little levity to the workplace and allow people to socialize with one another -- within reason, of course. (hreonline)

The Best Opportunities You Aren’t Taking Advantage Of: Job seeker behavior has changed remarkably in the past few years. So why hasn’t your recruitment strategy? (The Hiring Site)

How To Handle the Grumpy Employee: In a volatile world, anxiety and uncertainty make people a little testy. Cranky people can drag everyone else down by spreading negativity and sowing seeds of doubt just when leaders need commitment. (Harvard Business Review)

Employment, training & the economy: At a briefing Monday, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis spoke about the need for more employment opportunities for the 9.1% of Americans out of work and the role government can play in facilitating job creation. (Benefit News)

Social Networking and Retention: Staffing Industry Analyst Blog: Here is what we know; people are using social networking sites, meaning your employees are on those sites regularly. (Staffing Industry Analyst)

What Perks Do Employees Really Want?: Making us all more productive at work can be hard for employers—but perks and benefits often ease the battle. (Forbes)

Organize Your Inbox In 10 Simple Steps: Be honest. Are you ruled by your e-mail inbox? How many minutes a day do you spend a checking your e-mail, sorting your inbox and deleting spam? (Open Forum)

Healthier Workplace = Lower costs: Creating a culture of health in the workplace isn’t easy, but the results that can be obtained — both a personal benefit to the individual and a cost and productivity benefit to the organization — are making value-based health care an appealing initiative for employers across the country. (Benefit News)

The Quiet Worker should not be Ignored: There's an unnoticed population of employees in business today. Strangely enough, they're also the majority. (hbr.org)

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - August 26, 2011

Thursday, August 25, 2011 by Harry Danz

If you have not seen at least 600 articles about Steve Jobs this week than I am sorry to disappoint, but you will not see one here. I assume you are up to date on the "Jobs" topic, but there was a lot of other important business and HR news out there this week that you might have missed. I hope you consider this news update your "apple a week" to keep the mind healthy and strong. Health care (always in the news), Social Media, Economic news (not so good), EEOC (interesting stuff), local business updates and of course some cool stuff about staffing and recruitment are all hot this week. Speaking of "jobs", things have been exceptionally BUSY here at That's Good HR this week so if you have any friends or family seeking employment, be sure to send them our way.

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Survey says... Big shift in health coverage could be coming: Nearly one in 10 midsized or big employers expects to stop offering health coverage to workers after insurance exchanges begin operating in 2014 as part of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. (business week)

Social Media policies and the Government...what are they watching?: The U.S. Chamber just released a new study that analyzes 129 SM-related NLRB cases. Check it out to see what exactly the government is targeting when it comes to employer social media (SM) policies.

EEOC loses bid to limit credit histories in hiring: Our recent story—“Employer beats EEOC in credit-history fight”—describes a major victory for employers. Now, perhaps, we can expect more courts to look skeptically on some of the EEOC’s tactics, giving employers more tools to build the workforces they need. (business mgmt daily)

Fragile economy fuels demand for temporary workers: Employers have stepped up their use of flexible staffing while downgrading their plans to increase their permanent workforce, as economic uncertainty continues.(Personnel today)

Enterprise Social Networking: What's The Worst Case Scenario? Experts weigh in on some of the biggest social security risks that threaten enterprises and how to thwart them. (information week)

Seven Indiana companies make latest Inc. 500 list: Indianapolis-based Slingshot SEO ranked 58th, tops among the seven Indiana firms on the list announced Tuesday morning by Inc. magazine. (IBJ)

Do not dismiss the importance of engagement in your success: Research is confirming the interconnectedness of engaged employees and profitable companies, although it may be impossible to determine which comes first -- the engagement or the productivity. Too many companies, however, put up roadblocks that hamper engagement. (HRE online)

Don't Worry, Be prepared to be Happy: I both love and believe in serendipity—which is defined as the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. (Open Forum)

Good Advice for your Hiring managers: A recent article on Recruiter.com discussed Brook’s Law and its implications for recruiting and hiring. Brook’s Law states that adding manpower to a late software project makes it later. The gist of Brook’s Law is that you can’t throw manpower at any project and expect to experience the same labor productivity. (recruiter.com)

Can your Smart Phone do this?

Tuesday, August 23, 2011 by Amber Crosby

Have you said those words recently? I know I have! Whether its sharing an app that tracks my exercise for the week or discussing the new CareerBuilder app which gives Indianapolis employers and recruiters a chance to review resumes on their smart phones, we are all talking about our smart phones. It seems that every company is coming out with an app for something! With the new technology it seems that we can't do anything without our smart phone in our hand...let's face it according to this survey taken by Career-Builder, we are using our phones everywhere...and I do mean everywhere!

The beauty of the smart phone is that most of us can stay connected and take care of any issues that arise at any time without actually being in the office. But what happens when we are in the office? If you are like most, you are not only getting your work email on your phone but also your personal email, Facebook and LinkedIn updates, Tweets and text messages from friends and family that don't talk to you much any more because of the hustle and bustle of daily life. So the question arises, how do we resist the urge to look on our smart phone at that hilarious status update your best friend just posted on Facebook while sitting in a boring meeting with your boss and co-workers? Or maybe CareerBuilder just sent you a notice about a new job in Indianapolis that got posted today that is just the job you have been looking for? No one will know what you are looking at, right?? The truth is they may not know for sure but once doubt is created it's very difficult to overcome! The last thing you want is your boss to think you are playing on Facebook or looking for a new job on your smart phone...especially if they are footing the bill (partially or completely). So while smart phones may make it easier to find a job than ever before, follow these tips to make sure your smart phone doesn't land you in the unemployment line!

Keep your phone in your desk drawer, purse or pants pocket to avoid the temptation to pick it up and play with it. Chances are once you pick it up and start one thing, you will be on it for 15 minutes without even blinking an eye! Trust me, I've done that one before!

Let's face it - life happens and sometimes you have sick kids (or parents) to worry about so if you are expecting an important call or text message give your boss a heads up. They will appreciate your honesty and this should eliminate any doubt that might be created if they catch you on your phone (talking or texting) during work hours. Just don't take advantage of this tactic.

Use your lunch hour to catch up on your smart phone via social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, etc) and text your family/friends back about where to have dinner that night at that time. The wonderful thing about smart phones is you can use them anywhere, so while you are waiting in line for your lunch or munching down by yourself you can get your daily mental check out without being tied to your computer. Just don't slow down the drive through lines at the local fast food restaurant so you can finish a call!

Take direction from upper management and follow cell phone usage policies put in place by your employer. Most policies are outdated and still only include personal calls but with smart phones the policy could include anything from checking personal email, looking at Twitter updates or even checking out www.thatsgoodhr.com for a new job in Indianapolis! If you aren't sure about the policy then ask HR or management before picking up your phone the next time the green light is flashing with an update you just 'have' to know about.

Last but not least... if it is brought to your attention that you are using your smart phone to an extent that your employer is not happy or comfortable with, correct it immediately! The worst thing you can do is to become defensive. Employers will doubt your sincerity about correcting the excessive smart phone usage if you don't own up to your mistake and promise to take corrective action immediately.

Don't let your smart phone make you look stupid...use common sense and while at work, make sure you are working. Your long and successful career will thank you.

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - August 12, 2011

Thursday, August 11, 2011 by Harry Danz

When was the last time you went on vacation and actually tried to disconnect for a week, a day, a minute? It is almost impossible and while I tried my very best, I found myself sneaking looks at my email, my news feeds and even my investments. While I skimmed the news, my mind was automatically thinking "this would be a good article for the That's Good HR weekly news update". You just cannot get away completely unless you take a trip to a place where there is absolutely not connectivity to the outside world. Needless to say, I am back and have spent much of this week catching up on the news so I could once again share with you some relevant items from the week. If you are on vacation this week, my hope is that if you are reading this, you appreciate the summary of the news and it will allow more time for relaxing!
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How Toxic are your Coworkers? The first thing the researchers discovered is that office conditions matter. A lot. In particular, the risk of death seemed to be correlated with the perceived niceness of co-workers, as less friendly colleagues were associated with a higher risk of dying. (Wired.com)

Bring your Attorney to Work?: Employees have no explicit right to bring their own attorneys to an internal-investigation interview, but companies should not reject such requests out-of-hand. And in some cases, having an employee's attorney present could be helpful to the company. (hreonline)

Great Info For HR Pros to make sure you know What's Up Re: Recession/American Debt Situation... Let's face it, no one really expects most HR pros to have an opinion on the Debt Ceiling crisis or the Recession, which at this point seems like it is still going. (hrcapitalist)

July’s Job Numbers: The Sky Isn’t Falling! Yet...Despite this growth and landing above Wall Street expectations, we’re still below the number needed to really make a dent in the unemployment rate — but it’s an improvement. (The Hiring Site)

Looking for work? You might want to try smaller businesses, which are doing the heavy lifting when it comes to job growth, according to a new report from payroll processor ADP. (LA Times)

Your Vacation Request ... Denied? If you offer your employees vacation time, you may be wondering whether and when you can deny a vacation request. (Benefit News)

10 Ways to curb subtle FMLA Abuse: Rooting out the more subtle types of FMLA abuse takes diligence and tracking leave patterns can be time consuming and expensive. (HR news)

Ascension Health Ministry Service Center Officially Opens in Indianapolis: "We are excited to welcome Ascension Health's new professional service center and its 500 new jobs to Indianapolis.We are fortunate Indianapolis was chosen over a number of options as the location for this important business operation and we look forward to a strong partnership with them as they make our city their home," said Mayor Greg Ballard. (DevelopIndy)

Social Media Processes for the workplace - Cool Infographic: This is an interesting infographic on corporate social media policies. It’s a pretty interesting graphic but, as with most social media policy conversations it only focuses on either brand protection, promoting the brand, or employee freedom. (marketingtechblog)

How are Workers Finances looking Post Recession? Forty-two percent of workers in the survey of more than 5,200 workers say they usually or always live paycheck to paycheck, an improvement from 43 percent in 2010 and in line with levels seen back in 2007, pre-recession. (thehiringsite)

Five problem employees and how to handle them: The poor fit, the disappearing act, the scofflaw, the sour apple, the filcher. (Benefit news)

What Is REALLY Going On In The Indianapolis Job Market?

Tuesday, July 26, 2011 by Stacy Rouse

I was recently contacted by Ed Wenck with WIBC to give our company's viewpoint on the

current "pulse" of the Indianapolis job market. Wow...what a tough question to answer. This is literally the million dollar question that we get asked every day. I knew I couldn't respond with, "It depends", but that is honestly what I wanted to say. The current hiring trends and overall health of the Indianapolis job market vary greatly based on industry and functional area. I prefaced my comments to Ed by saying that my viewpoint is exclusive to what we see, hear, and experience through our clients and candidates. Although not all-inclusive, I do feel like we interact with a variety of industries and functional areas to give a sound response.

In summary, we feel as though things are still continuing to improve...especially when compared to the job market this time last year. The majority of the Indianapolis direct hire job openings that are coming through our doors are in accounting, finance, human resources and operations. On the contract side of our business, there seems to be a good mix of accounting and administrative/customer service opportunities. The majority of the Indianapolis job openings (and really Indiana as a whole) seem to be focused in the following industries: manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, and financial services/public accounting. However, there isn't a consistent theme on the level of positions that are opening up. One month we might have mostly mid level type positions and the next month we have mostly senior level positions, and then the cycles continues. Because of this, it does make it difficult to predict the market to that degree. The job market and one's abillity to make a career move is still going to be a matter of timing. And unfortunately one statistic that isn't changing is the speed in which companies are getting through their hiring proces. But, this post is focused on the positive aspect of the job market, so I'm going to move on and not dwell on that last comment. So although we still can't predict the market as well as we might've been able to a couple of years ago, we're definitely gaining momentum and that's a great start!

If you are interested in having an Indianapolis Recruiter assist with managing your career, please contact of one our recruiters here at That's Good HR. We can be your extra eyes and ears on the job market and make you aware of positions that are opening up that might not ever make it to the job boards. We can also be your advisor on new positions and help you through the process of weighing the opportunity against your key criteria in making a change.

P.S. Yahoo! Finance posted an article entitled "5 Places With Good Jobs And Cheap Housing".... and Indy made the list! How exciting! As the article mentions, our state has a very strong job outlook and low cost of living that makes it enticing to keep our top talent within state lines.

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)

How Stupid are you?

Tuesday, July 19, 2011 by Karen Seketa

If you are anything like me, you avoid doing things outside of your core competency out of

fear of looking stupid. If you read my post "confessions of a high C" you can see that I don't like to break the rules and I have a very hard time venturing outside of my comfort zone. How boring, right?

Recently, I have stepped outside of my comfort zone to try new things and have therefore foreced myself to learn about things that I know nothing about. I won't bore you with the details, but it has been really tough for me wander into unknown waters, even shallow waters. At the same time, there is a true exhilaration in the unknown and learning something new brings a sense of vitality that doing the same old thing over and over just does not provide. I believe I will always struggle with new learning but as the world changes so much every day, it is unavoidable or you risk becoming obsolete.

As I was talking to a friend about this yesterday, it was interesting to come to work today and have a blog post titled Confronting Stupid from Seth Godin staring me in my face as I reviewed my email. As is Seth's style, this is a very short post that happens to mirror exactly this issue that I face. Seth talks about how there is a new kind of work out there these days that requires you to have "the guts to be wrong, a confrontation with the risk of being stupid".

If you are sitting at home today, doing the same old thing you always do because it is easy and comfortable, whether it be in your Indianapolis job search or really anything at all, maybe it is time to stop playing it safe and to start being stupid. Sounds like being stupid might be the smartest thing you can do today.

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - July 15, 2011

Thursday, July 14, 2011 by Harry Danz

I know it is not news to anyone that it is HOT outside. The temps are rising, but it does not appear that hiring trends are following the lead of the weather. This week we have some news from the Secretary of Labor about how to work in excessive heat and some "cooling off" labor market updates from SHRM and Careerbuilder. Do you know some horrible bosses? We have some tips that might sound familiar. The good news is that according to a recent story in the IBJ, State officials say Indiana is flush with cash reserves because of an improving economy and deep budget cuts made over the past year. Stay cool out there!
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Paycheck pickup...make sure you understand the laws: Can an organization require employees to pick up their paychecks only at specific times and dates? Can the company require employees to sign up for direct deposit? Review this article focusing on the laws govern such actions. (HRE online)

2011 Mid-Year Job Forecast from Careerbuilder: CareerBuilder just released their interesting job expectations for the remainder of 2011. The report highlights some very encouraging figures for the U.S. job market. (recruiter.com)

Looking for the perfect Employee? Be Specific About What you Want: Detailed Job Descriptions are critical in finding the perfect employee (Net-temps.com)

As the Temps rise, hiring Cools in the US.: U.S. manufacturers and service-sector companies will add jobs at a lower rate in July 2011 than in July 2010, and HR professionals are still struggling to recruit workers for key positions. (SHRM.org)

Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on excessive heat across the country: (Dept of Labor)

Sure signs that you Might Be a Horrible Boss: From the results of a recent survey of over 200 business professionals, here are the top twelve body language behaviors of less-than-ideal bosses. (Forbes)

Make sure your wellness incentives are rewarding the right behaviors: Forgetting the golden rule and rewarding wrong people are among the top four reasons Sykes lists for why employee wellness incentives fail. (Benefit News)

Employees want caring over cash: According to a recent survey conducted by Monster.com and Unum, the top-rated item on would-be employees’ wish lists is a company “that truly cares about the well-being of its employees.”

Local IT consultancy plans to add 200 jobs: An Indianapolis-based information technology consultancy plans to lease additional office space on the city’s north-east side to make way for a planned addition of 200 workers by 2015.

Working the mobile way is becoming business as usual: “Nearly one third of small-business owners tell us that they check their mobile device before they brush their teeth in the morning, which really signals the growing importance of mobile devices for conducting business today.” (portfolio.com)

Interesting Stats on Nonfatal Injuries and Illnesses By Occupation: There were 1,238,490 cases of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. (recruiter.com)