High Performers Are Starting to Move

The migration begins.  Get ready to pick up some talent.

High performing employees have been hunkered down since last October (October 8th, 2008 to be exact.  4:00 pm EST to be even more exact.  That is when Lehman Brothers declared bankrupcy)

I offer as proof the current “leading edge” job listings at Amazon HQ for top talent in recruiting.  If you work in Lean, you watch Toyota.  If you work in staffing, you watch Amazon and Google.

To quote Amazon themselves – “We currently have the following positions open in our Seattle Corporate offices:

• Manager, Talent Acquisition (Digital/Kindle team)
• Recruiting Manager, University Programs
• Sr. Recruiter – University Recruiting
• Sr. Recruiter – Human Resources
• MBA Recruiter
• Technical Sourcing Recruiter, Seller Services
• Sales Sourcing Recruiter, Seller Services
• Sourcing Recruiter – Digital
• Recruiting Coordinator – Digital
• Compliance Leader, OFCCP

You can review any of the positions at: www.amazon.com/careers”

This is big. I interpret that this significant recruiting hire is the first sign of spring – that Amazon wants their team in place to harvest the best of the flood of high performers that will be coming out of the woodwork in the Spring.

As I’m writing my book about the coming talent shortage (and what to do about it) I am pleased to see the first signs of the thaw.

I have my opinions – what other signs do you see?

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Searching for a career path

When I’m done writing my book, I’ll be re-employing.  Therefore, I am using my research tools and HR knowledge to guide my job search.  Based on the data from indeed.com  (Click here) it looks like a sales job for me.  Either that, or stay at home mom….

A metaphor for a modern career path...

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A photo comment on health insurance reform

I was in a debate about a big HR and finance issue – health insurance reform – and it had been passionate.  I don’t know how it will turn out in the Senate, but I know that here is a lot of effort to confuse the public – from both sides.

As I walked out of the Starbucks, I laughed…

Trash cans - What's the difference, anyway?

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Writer’s Block, Business Books and Hemingway

I am in writing avoidance mode.  Several people have griped that I have not posted for a week, but the problem is deeper than that.  Should I finish Chapter 5 or paint the garage?  No contest.  Get out the bucket and brush, set aside the keyboard.

Feeling guilty as I put a coat of paint on the wall, I decided that, rather than get depressed or defensive, I should turn to the masters, and read some good writing.  Hemingway.  The king of the run-on sentence.

So, I was already grumpy when I flipped open my copy of his articles for magazines in the ’30s.  I started reading and realized very quickly just how sterile and lifeless my writing is compared to his.  He opens one article with a description of how he got shot.  Another is a first person diary of being in Pamplona for the Fiesta de San Fermin.  Another is a powerful story about Key West.

How does this make me feel?  Inspired?  No, REALLY depressed.  My first reaction is to scrap what I have done and rewrite my business “how to” book into the next great American novel.  Romance.  Intrigue.  Sweeping vistas.  Maybe even a scene in Havana or Cuzco.  Something exotic.  What do I have now?  Quotes from Indianapolis and Crawfordsville.  Charts about demographics.  Trend lines and future threats.

I am tempted to change my style.  I spend a couple of weeks a year in Key West, and occasionally have a gin in the bar that Hemingway frequented.  Photo attached of the spot.

I realize that what I am writing has a completely different audience.  Chief Financial Officers and CEOs and Human Resources types.  Not exactly the audience that Hemingway had.  He had literate readers who appreciated a finely turned sentence, and I’m facing an audience that hopes for concise  sentences with bullet points.  He had people with long attention spans, and I have Blackberry savants.

So, what have I learned?  I now know that it is tough to write if you have a short attention span.  Perhaps that qualifies me to write for the audience that are my peers, my fellow poster children of ADHD.

And I have learned to not read Hemingway for inspiration while writing a business book.  Stick to the classics.  Peter Drucker.  Malcom Gladwell.  And stay away from Gin.

Must get back to writing.  My garage looks nice, tho….

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