Tuesday, May 14, 2013

recruiting/ technology/ layoff flashbacks

Apr. 21 Recruiting: I cut out an article on Dec. 26, 2012 called "Tips on how to ace job interviews- for hiring managers" by Lauren Weber.  It's a reversal of situations of hiring managers who: "'interrupting interviews to take phone calls, failing to take notes, acting bored, bullying applicants, or asking 'gotcha' questions."

The consequences are bad hires, alienating applicants, and lawsuits where the questions are deemed discriminatory.  Companies are getting training programs to teach interviewing skills.  It mentions bad hires affect productivity and morale.

They talked to Lauren Rivera, an assistant professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management in Evanston, Ill.  Her research says people pick people who are like themselves.

"That's a natural human thing, but firms need to counterbalance that by requiring a consistent means of scoring and evaluating each applicant."

Interviewers also need listening skills, and applicants should talk 80% of the time.

Flashbacks: I've had an interview back in 2007 in the summer time, back when I was in college.  I did an interview at a jewelry store and the interviewer talked for the 25 min.  She was telling me everything about the job, and I was listening.  I didn't get hired, and that was okay.

Technology: On Apr. 13, 2013, I was reading "Who's stealing our jobs?  Not who you think" by Margaret Wente in the Globe and Mail.  I like reading her articles, they're intelligent and insightful.  People think our jobs are being outsourced to foreign countries, she says it's technology.

"The revolution started lower down the value chain, wiping out millions of middle-class jobs that real people used to do.  Bank tellers, data- entry clerks, airline ticketing processors, travel agents, office assistants and meter readers bit the dust.  Entire occupations were virtually obliterated."

It says retail workers are being let go, because of online shopping, software legal programs are replacing law clerks when the computer can read the information faster.

She talked to Andrew McAfee, a research scientist at MIT who researches technology's impact on business.  He's an optimist and "thinks the information revolution will create far more wealth and opportunity than it destroys- eventually."

This brings to another flashback where I remember my dad saying: "Someone or something is always trying to take your job."  For ex. the operator.  There is now a computer that transfers your call to another line.

Apr. 25 Canada Post: I've read a couple of articles in the business section of the newspaper about how Canada Post is becoming a money pit.  I'm sure a lot of you guys know that no one is really sending letters out because of emails, social media, texts, and the internet in general to keep us contact with each other.

However, you still need Canada Post to deliver the things you buy off the internet.

Apr. 26 Call Centre #1: I remember this time when I got laid off from Call Centre #1 back in 2006.  After the news was announced, a couple weeks later I was working.  I called this guy and I ask to speak to a woman.  He pretends to be a woman by saying he is one.  Anyone can tell this guy was obviously fake.

After like 30 secs of it and he wasn't going to tell me if a woman lived there or not and he wasn't going to stop pretending he was one.  I was like: "Stop screwing with me" and I hung up.

Then my team leader came over to me and said: "That guy was kind of a jack ass wasn't he?"  Unbeknownst to me, she was listening in on the call.  I think I handled the call well because I only wasted 30 secs on this jerk.  He wasn't cooperating with me, and I can't make him cooperate, so hang up and keep dialing so you can get another completed survey.

It's kind of like taking a test.  If you're stuck on one question, skip it and do the rest of the test.  Then get back to that question. 

Apr. 30 Question: At 20yrs old, have you ever thought about getting laid off?  I would say no.  I only started working when I was 18 yrs old and my mom gave me my first job.  After that, in summer 2004 I worked at the $1 store.  I quit to go to college full-time.  After that, in summer 2005 I worked at a clothing store.  After that I quit to try something new like work at Call Centre #1.  The call centre was my 4th job in 3yrs.

Layoff flashbacks: At 20 yrs old I never experienced a lay off.  Fortunately my parents never got laid off.  My siblings never did either.  My high school and college friends had jobs, but they didn't get laid off.  My only experience with it was from fictional books and TV shows.

Books: For example, when I was in elementary school, I was reading a Baby-Sitter's Little Sister book.  I went on Google to find the title, but after 30 secs, I was like whatever.  The title didn't matter, it was the story.  Then I was like: "It was probably called Karen's Paper Route."  I was right:

http://www.amazon.ca/Karens-Paper-Route-Ann-Martin/dp/0590065955

I remember the story about Karen's paper route.  7 yr old Karen did a paper route with her 13 yr old step-sister Kristy.  They found it hard because they have to wake up really early to deliver the papers.

Karen's 15 yr old step-brother Sam got laid off from his grocery store job because there were too many part-time workers there.  Later he ended up taking over Karen's paper route because Karen and Kristy didn't like the job.

There was a Baby-Sitter's Club book called Poor Mallory! where her dad got laid off from his law firm job.

TV shows: When I was a kid, I saw this TV show called Ready or Not, and this teen girl's dad got laid off from his office job.

Kyle XY: In 2007, a yr after I got laid off from the call centre, I was watching Kyle XY.  The dad Mr. Trager was working at an office and there were going to be layoffs.  He knows about it, but another co-worker doesn't.  That co-worker is planning to buy a house.  Mr. Trager wasn't supposed to tell about the layoffs, and the boss was supposed to tell them later.  There is a dilemma as Mr. Trager struggles with not telling the co-worker and preventing him from buying a house.

In the end, Mr. Trager tells the boss that he's going to tell the co-worker that he's going to get laid off so he won't buy something he can't afford.

May 2 Desperate Housewives: Susan and Mike and their son were living in an apartment, while they rented out their house.  Susan got a job where she cleans her apartment in her lingerie as this kind of webcam show.  Her boss who is the land lord lady said the company is closing down and laying them all off.

Susan: Okay, just schedule for any extra shifts that are available.  I will take them.

Me: That's smart.  If you know you're going to lose your job, take as many shifts as possible and make as much money as you can. 

My flashback: Unlike that time when I was working at Call Centre #1, they gave us a month notice.  I didn't start taking more shifts because I was too addicted to Dr. Phil.  Though I could have watched his show at 1pm and then at 2pm, I could take the bus to work.  I could then start my shift at 3pm.  But no, I started work at the usual 4pm.

Yeah, well at 20 yrs old I was different.  I was right-brain and more about having fun.  Now that I'm 27yrs old, I'm left-brain and all about working and being productive.  Yesterday I was sick, and called in sick.  I had to do something productive if I wasn't making money.

Ramit Sethi: I then read I Will Teach You to be Rich by Ramit Sethi.  My sister has that book and follows the advice of saving, investing, and spending.  My dad also has that book, but he bought it on sale so I'm reading my dad's book.

Here's the website:
http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/

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