Expert Advice
Reasons to Upgrade Your Business to Windows 7
By Kevin Beaver Tuesday Jun 1, 2010Is your small business embracing Windows 7, Microsoft's latest operating system? It should. It's been out for a year, it's stable and it has a slew of benefits such as a streamlined user interface, improved task bar and window management and broad hardware compabitility to help make your users and your network administrator more productive.
3 Steps to a Cracker-Jack Sales Team
By Barry Deutsch Tuesday Jun 1, 2010Hiring outstanding sales professionals is one of the most difficult hires that companies attempt. Most sales managers have a batting average far below the 50% level in hiring sales professionals that hit or exceed expectations.
10 Careers Headed for Extinction
By Ira Wolfe Tuesday Jun 1, 2010More than 25%, or over 2 million, of the jobs that were erased from the economy over the past two years are probably gone for good.
The World's Dumbest Interview Question
By Barry Deutsch Friday May 28, 2010In my last post, I discussed the mistake of asking superficial questions while interviewing job candidates. Most superficial questions are either too canned or prompt candidates to tell us what we want to hear. These questions are worthless and a complete waste of time when trying to measure or predict a candidate's future success.
The Best Anti-Virus Program for Your Small Business (and It's Free!)
By Kevin Beaver Friday May 28, 2010When people think about computers and computer security, viruses and spyware are often the topic of conversation. So, what are you using to protect your small business from a malware outbreak? Just running Norton or McAfee because cousin Willie said it's the best? Perhaps you're running what came pre-installed on your computers (which possibly expired several months ago)?
Sobering Thoughts on the U.S. Labor Market
By Ira Wolfe Friday May 28, 2010Every day I read through dozens of Google Alerts, RSS feeds, emails and newsletters — not to mention the growing pile of books that I’ve started but haven’t finished. Inevitably, I find myself highlighting provocative comments and compelling trends and factoids that I might use in an upcoming article, blog or newsletter. Most of the time, they just get buried under the next deluge of information before I’ve had a chance to lace them together into some coherent message.
Hiring Mistake #2: Superficial Interviewing
By Barry Deutsch Thursday May 27, 2010Interviews are terrible predictors of success. Most CEOs and senior executives tend to accept whatever the candidate claims as their achievements and accomplishments as the given truth. In our workshops and management training programs, CEOs and senior executives agree that embellishment and exaggeration is somewhere slightly north of 100%. Since most interviews don’t come close to getting to the truth, they are a waste of time in being a useful tool to predict future performance or success.
What BP's Oil Spill Says About Management Today
By Ira Wolfe Thursday May 27, 2010How many experts does it take to cap a leaking oil well? Answer: apparently, more than we have available. The month-old environmental disaster unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico highlights a core problem companies (and societies at large) face today: the inability of most people, including the experts, to keep pace in a fast changing, dynamic marketplace and to respond effectively when conditions are complex and ambiguous. I've been forecasting this crisis for years.
An Unusual Opportunity for Small Business
By Bruce Phillips Thursday May 27, 2010Here's one of the more bizarre (and promising) business ideas: start a marijuana dispensary. More jurisdictions are moving toward allowing the sale of cannabis for medicinal purposes in the decade since California legalized the drug. Most recently, the city council of the District of Columbia approved marijuana sales.
10 Reasons to Be Grateful for the Recession
By Jay Forte Wednesday May 26, 2010Dear Recession, I know many people are upset with you. I am not surprised. You have made things tough for many organizations. But at the same time you have made us better. So here are 10 things I want to thank you for: