Did You Leave Fingerprints?

Glenn Murphy resigned his CEO role with Gap, Inc. effective February 1, 2015.

English: Fingerprint

While I don’t know Murphy, I do know one thing about his 8-year stint at the Gap: Murphy left “fingerprints.”

Murphy was brought at a time when Gap was generally described as “adrift” and “without focus.” While financial results were mixed during his tenure – retail is a tough place for anyone to perform well – the stock price doubled during his time holding the stick.… Read the rest

One (More) Headhunter “Secret”: “See Me”

An Ifugao warrior with some of his trophies; I...

There are “secrets” in the executive search trade that anyone who hopes to be headhunted (or hire a headhunter to fill an opening) should know.

A set of 10 tips are here; another 7 more are here.

Here’s an 18th tip: what you do in the search process can stick with you for a lifetime.

While the world is incredibly small – Wendy Yanowitch’s saying that “The world is made up of (just) six people and lots of mirrors” is pretty true- what you do in the search process or even what you do outside of the search process can find a home in any record a search firm keeps.… Read the rest

Are You Interviewing the Candidate or Just Checking Their Pulse?

The interviewer with a candidate at the Starbucks in Hong Kong Central seemed nice, bright and engaging.shutterstock_117963070

She was, unfortunately, conducting a train wreck of an interview in front of me; when she asked early on, “You’re not a micromanager, are you?” I thought she was a goner.

When the candidate smiled, said “Of course not” and she smiled back, I knew she was dead on arrival,

She had just confirmed that the candidate had a pulse and an IQ (e.g.Read the rest

Are the End of Year Holidays Good for Job Hunting?

Nothing Like the Holidays

It’s the end of the year, and common wisdom says that people have packed up shop and that it’s a lousy week for job hunting.

Maybe.

But as John Greathouse notes on his blog, “Conventional wisdom isn’t.”

The next two weeks will be a time when people’s schedules – if they’re not in company shutdown mode – will be unpacked, thoughts will be directed to things apart from work, and folks will be relaxed.… Read the rest

[Life Back West] July 2012 – “Misfit Toys”

If you live in a certain City by the bay, sooner or later little surprises you.

Avengers (comics)

Annoy you? Yes. Delight you? Often. Alarm, disappoint, thrill, and endear? Always.

It’s those differences that make the place so special. Take away those difference and ultimately it leads to one destination; the land of boring, common, even mediocre.

Some workplaces are just like that City.… Read the rest

Career Quandry: Should You Take the “Interim” Job?

Your boss has been hired to take another job and will be leaving the company. Or perhaps your boss has been whacked and that’s the reason the job is now vacant.

Either way that box in the organization chart that used have a name is empty.

Do you raise your hand and volunteer to take the job on an interim basis, or do you wait to see if you get tapped – and decide then if you want “interim” next to your name?… Read the rest