Dear Barb: Thanks for suggesting that we develop a client referral program. Since we began to donate to a company’s favorite charity if they refer someone … Read more
Workplace Mindfulness: A Way to Be More Productive With Less Stress
Google, eBay, Intel and General Mills offer classes on it. So do Harvard Business School, Ross School of Business and Claremont Graduate University, among … Read more
My Team Isn’t Producing. What Do I Do?
Dear Barb: I’m frustrated by the results this year. I know my sales team could produce more. How do you light a fire under people without having them walk … Read more
Need More Balance? Discuss it With the Boss
Dear Barb: I’ve been a big biller for most of my career. I just returned from maternity leave and I find I don’t want to put in the effort or hours it … Read more
Old Technology Is Costing You Real Money In Lost Productivity
There’s a word in the recruiting and staffing industry that nobody likes. No one wants to think about it, no one likes to talk about it, and no one really … Read more
How Long Do I Wait For First Production?
Dear Barb: How long do you give a new recruiter, before you realize you may have made a bad hiring decision? My new recruiter has had no production going … Read more
How to Say No When They Ask “Got a Minute”
Got a minute? The fact is, unless you are a great rarity today, you not only don’t have a minute, you have a yawning deficit of minutes. There is work … Read more
Too Much Email and Not Enough Phone. What Do I Do?
Dear Barb: I know technology is supposed to help me be more efficient, but I’m buried under hundreds of emails. All technology has done is have me working … Read more
Manage by Numbers and You’ll Hit Them
Dear Barb: Our sales are inconsistent and even my managers have accepted the fact that we will have at least one flat month every quarter. That’s four flat … Read more
Holding Staff Accountable Is Your Job
Dear Barb: How can I hold my team accountable to hit their goals? We set goals, but no one in my office takes them seriously. I would think that their … Read more
The 3 Elements Of A Proactive Daily Plan
When I first started in the business back in 1994, I was fortunate to hear Peter Leffkowitz speak at a recruiting seminar in Los Angeles. One of the … Read more
‘Time At Work’ Is Not a Success Metric
He can’t be serious, Jim thought. Jim been recruited away from a Fortune 500 firm by a fast-growing start-up, and it was his first day. The president of … Read more
One Word Advice: Sendouts, Sendouts, Sendouts
Dear Barb: I recently attended a conference where you participated on a panel. I felt you were the most honest and straightforward person on the panel, and … Read more
Here’s How to Stop Putting Important Things Off
Here’s a secret about procrastination: everyone is guilty of it. Even that super achieving, highly organized CEO will put off a task that really … Read more
Pose Your Way to Greater Confidence and Bigger Production
Research by social psychologists at Harvard and Columbia universities has revealed startling facts about how simple shifts in posture can have profound … Read more
You Manage Email, Not the Other Way Around
Dear Barb: I receive over 200 emails a day and feel I spend my entire day answering email. How can I manage this and still have time for calls and … Read more
Why the December Holidays Are Great for Recruitment
Years ago a recruiting colleague of mine and I had a difference of opinion. We placed in exactly the same specialty niche, but we disagreed about which … Read more
Taking Time Off Can Make You Happier and More Productive
Kmart’s decision to open its doors at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day sent shockwaves throughout the nation. Though bargain-seekers were thrilled, many are … Read more
A Look At What Top Producers Bill
Dear Barb: I’ve only been a recruiter since last November and I’m now the second highest producer in my office. I think I could actually beat our top … Read more
Don’t Switch Niche, Switch Tactics
Dear Barb: I have been placing engineers in manufacturing for the past 10 years. I’ve had a decent six months, but wonder if I should consider a new niche … Read more