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Archive for January, 2010
A Master's Class in Hiring a Person With Credit Wrecked By Bad Health and Being Laid Off
Jan 31I saw this question/plea on Ask Reddit this morning. For those of you in HR making hiring decisions, here’s your master’s class in the impact that credit check policies have on hiring decisions. Read the article and the comments. Here’s the setup.
I was out of work to fight an illness and can’t get a job now because my credit is bad. I have 13 years of IT experience -will work my a** off for you.
Since early 2008 I have been out of work. I had to bow out and go full time to Rochester, MN for medical care. I stayed current with my skills and I am better than ever before. My last two job offers have been rescinded due to bad credit. I’ve had hiring managers desperately want me on their team and go to bat for me but with no luck. I didn’t run up credit cards on a shopping spree, I fell ill and was financially destroyed. I lost my cars, home -the works in order to get the care I needed in order to stay alive. I have designed data centers, managed global IT teams, designed, implemented and managed Global WANS, network security, route\switch, worked for dot coms that you’ve heard of and Fortune 50 Companies. Are there any hiring managers that want a top-flight employee with a proven track record that can deliver you and your team results? I am open to constructive ideas. Thank you Reddit!
Edit: I had ‘good corporate’ Health Insurance. The Insurance was a paperwork trap and they basically said everything was ‘experimental’ or ‘not covered’ as my condition was extremely rare so basically Insurance was like a 10% off coupon and my ticket to get let in. I was wiped out financially in 6 weeks.
What would you do? WWYD?
Here's a List You Don't Want to Be On
Jan 29The 12 Least Ethical Companies in the World.
How do you recruit if you have a rotten reputation? What does it say about the kind of people who chose to work there?
Hidden Talent, SEPTA and a Conversation That Started My Day Off Right
Jan 28I bought my monthly SEPTA pass this morning. I bought a couple other things as well.
“That’s a lot of lettuce,” said the man behind the counter.
I laughed.
“What is this, your own economic recovery package?”
Most transactions at the SEPTA counter are brief and pointed. “Zone 4 monthly, please,” is about all I get to say.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what kind of work do you do?” said the man. He’s a very elegant 70-ish. I see him there behind the glass all the time, and if I can, I always try to go to him.
“I’m in the employee communication business,” I said. That’s usually a conversation ender. (I mostly tell people I’m a garbage man. Trust me, it’s easier to explain.)
“Ah, I was in the ad business myself,” said the man. “I know that employee communication work. I had lots of the big accounts around here.”
I smiled. And I wondered if SEPTA has ever asked this gentleman to create ads for them. There’s a real talent working at their place selling tokens and trail passes.
And I wondered how many people like that gentleman work in your company. How many hidden talents are there? Have you asked?
“It was nice talking to you this morning,” said the man.
“Thank you,” I said. He’d already made my day.
Interview Question of the Day: Rain, Umbrellas and Public Transportation
Jan 25
Here’s my interview question of the day: If you’re soaking wet, when you get on the train, do you:
a) Shake off like a Labrador Retriever on everyone near you, then set your wet bag and umbrella down on the dry seat next to you?
b) Take off your coat before you sit down, fold it inside out, and put your wet bag and umbrella on the ground?
It’s raining an inch an hour and the wind is gusting up to 50 mph in Philly this morning. Everyone’s wet, even if they have an umbrella. My pants are soaked. It’s a Carpenters song out there.
I saw at least three people near me pick Answer A. They shook off on people. Then the put their wet things down on a dry seat next to them, meaning that no one else could sit there at a stop closer in. They shook their wet coats; I shook my head.
Awareness of how your actions affect others is essential in my book. Shake your wet self on me, or think it’s okay, and you can’t work here.
Would you hire someone who thought it was okay to put a wet umbrella on a dry seat?
An Apple a Day
Jan 22This is your apple today. It’s called Apples on HumanMarkets. It’s good for your (HR) health. Read it. Manage better.
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