Category Archives: Nick Reddin
Sympathy for the Hatchet Man
I recently wrote an article for the Des Moines Business Record about the hard life Human Resources departments are currently having. In the article I point out that even though they may be the one’s swinging the axe, they are suffering almost as much as the person on the other end as well.
Article:
Living, breathing and working in the world of work brings continual challenges. The challenge of staying motivated at work is increasingly difficult when people around you are being let go all of the time. As soon as you start to feel safe and are able to once again focus on your work, another round of layoffs occurs, sometimes without any warning or sense of it coming.
Because work and life are so closely connected, they both become a struggle to get through, and any sense of joy or accomplishment can be sapped away. It is tough on the front lines.
For better or worse, I have an interesting vantage point. In my job, I am on the front lines viewing a lot of what is taking place. The one department in companies that I believe has it the hardest is one that you might not suspect. The human resources department may have the most challenging job right now.
Posted in Nick Reddin
Tagged Des Moines Business Record, Hatchet Man, Laid Off, Layoffs, Manpower Inc., Nick Reddin, Youre Fired
Hope is not Lost – Unemployed but not Destroyed
I recently wrote an article for Veritas Magazine dealing with the lost hope that people are feeling as they search for a job. These are definitely tough and unprecedented times, but we can still choose how our attitude will be when facing the unknown. And while hope may seem far off, it is actually as close as it as ever been.
Article:
I think it safe to say that these are some of the most difficult times ever faced for a lot of generations. As a Gen Xer, I know my generation has never seen such difficult times as these. The news seems to be getting worse every day, and every hopeful sign turns out to be a house of cards.
People have lost jobs at a historic rate and have lost confidence in everything that they had once thought was sure.
Posted in Nick Reddin
Tagged Des Moines, Job Searching, Lost Hope, Nick Reddin, Veritas, Veritas Magazine
Recession Wire Interview: The Confidence Game
I was recently interviewed by Recessionwire.com for an article about confidence in interviewing. This is a great topic due to the amount of layoffs and the need for people to find work. When layoffs and job loss occur, coupled with no one calling you back after submitting your resume to dozens of job opportunities. Your confidence can take a visible hit, which can inadvertently undermine your job interview opportunities.
Article:
The Confidence Game
Mark Twain once wrote that the only things required for success are ignorance and confidence. If we humbly assume a good measure of the former, then the only thing needed for a successful job search is confidence.
Simplistic? Perhaps. But for those of us who awake each morning to face yet another day of launching resumes into the ethers and throwing ourselves at the mercy of old cronies or long-lost college cohorts who just might provide that magical, silver-bullet nexus of our LinkedIn fantasies, it can be difficult to crank up the old confidence meter to the appropriate level of chipperness. Each non-returned inquiry and “we’re not hiring right now” response is one more pinprick in the life raft of our confidence.
But let’s get real—sinking beneath the waves simply isn’t an option. That means we must meet each pinhole in the raft with a fresh wad of Double Bubble, chewed vigorously and confidently. Sure, you can hide in the closet now and then, shut the door, cover your mouth with an unused business suit and let out a primal scream or two. But then shake off the dust bunnies and get back in the living room.
“Everything you do, say, or write is a reflection of your confidence,” says Nick Reddin, business development manager for Manpower, one of the largest employment services companies in the world. “Your resume, cover letter, hand shake, telephone demeanor—everything should project that you are ready to take on the position you are applying for.”
In his position at Manpower, Reddin talks with hundreds of prospective candidates, both as an employment advisor and on behalf of employers. He says his instincts can tell when a candidate is been through the grinder and is starting to feel defeated.
Posted in Nick Reddin, World of Work
Tagged Confidence, Interview Techniques, Layoffs, Manpower Inc., Nick Reddin, Recessionwire.com
College Job Fair Trends
The article below is from a piece I wrote for the Des Moines Business Record. With the economy being what it is, the typical landscape of hiring and firing have definitely changed. One of the changes I have noticed in particular is at college job fairs. While they have always been interesting, these times have made them even more so.
Article:
One of the things I get to do in my job is stay alert to the trends taking place and shaping the way people hire and fire. I tend to write about these trends when I see something that particularly stands out to me as being different from the norm. To be honest, I have recruited at more job fairs than I care to remember – numbering somewhere in the hundreds, I am sure.
Job fairs are interesting as a whole; it is almost a social experiment. You have people who for the most part just want the free stuff at your booth, you have the people who didn’t bring a resume but want you to interview them on the spot, and you have the people who are going booth to booth with their friends, dressed and acting completely unprofessional and yet wanting you to hire them. On the upside, you do meet a lot of very well-prepared professional people who attend job fairs and make them worth your time.
Click here to continue reading.
Perfecting the Art of Employee Feedback
Below is from an article I recently wrote for the Des Moines Business Record about the importance and methods of employee feedback. This is a crucial topic especially during these times when companies are having to survive with less employees. Perfecting the art of feedback is what will keep those stretched employees engaged, motivated and productive.
Article:
Feedback is an interesting topic for a variety of reasons. I believe feedback is incredibly important when it comes to shaping your staff into your A team.
I love what former Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry once said: “A coach makes people do what they don’t want to do to become what they want to be.” Though I am not a fan of the Cowboys, I have always been a fan of Tom Landry, and that quotation contains some of the best simple wisdom ever dispensed.
In most companies, I have noticed there is a philosophy along the lines of “feedback is a gift,” which is usually said right before they criticize you. Or they may say, “I have some constructive criticism I would like to share with you.” Who’s kidding whom? Criticism is still criticism.
Walking Wounded: Instructions for Working when Salaries are Cut
The link below is to my recent article for Veritas Magazine called Walking Wounded: Instructions for Working when Salaries are Cut. I think this is a very important topic that I wanted to address in a fair amount of detail as it is affecting so many people in the workforce.
What should our attitude be?
What should our effort look like?
Ultimately who are we really working for?
Walking Wounded: Instructions for Working when Salaries are Cut
Posted in Nick Reddin, World of Work
Tagged Furloughs, Nick Reddin, Salary Cuts, Veritas Magazine, Walking Wounded
Developing the Manager Within
Below is an article that I wrote for the Des Moines Business Record on Talent Management. Specifically on how to manage and help your up-and-comers.
Article:
There is one nice thing about working and living in America – OK, actually there are a few nice things. But one in particular is an individual’s ability to pursue his or her dream. With the right determination and skills, someone who starts in the mailroom could someday end up in the CEO’s office. Or someone who starts on the manufacturing floor a few years later ends up being the production manager running the floor.
There are tons of examples of how this plays out daily in America’s work force. The only requirements to participate are to have a dream, a solid work ethic and the right attitude. Although, with these scenarios there is a problem that might not be evident at first but eventually becomes more apparent.
The problem is twofold. First, companies believe that because someone is great at one thing, he or she will be great at another. For example, some companies believe that if someone is great at sales, he or she should be the sales manager. That is terrible thinking, because it assumes that the person would be a great manager of people. In the case of sales, if people are great at selling, let them sell and leave them where they are.
Posted in Nick Reddin
Tagged Business Record, Des Moines, Employee Engagement, Iowa, Manpower, Nick Reddin, Talent Management
Reignite Your Career Hopes
Below is an article that I wrote for the Des Moines Business Record dealing with employee motivation and satisfaction in tough times.
Article:
I have said and written many times that I love my job, my company and what I do for a living. As I travel and speak at conferences, I know I am not the only one. There are a lot of people in this state who are passionate and highly engaged in their jobs. That said, I know that an even larger number of people are not happy in their jobs and are barely engaged.
I am addressing today’s article to the unhappy. If you are reading this, more than likely you are in some type of leadership position within your company. You are probably scanning the publication for information that can help you in your job or can help your company gain some type of advantage. You saw my headline and were intrigued.
Posted in Employee Engagement, Nick Reddin
Tagged Des Moines Business Record, Iowa, Manpower, Nick Reddin
Gone Fishing
I will be back next week with all the latest developments in the world of work.
Is the Economic Sky Really Falling?
This is an article that I wrote for the Des Moines Business Record, I hope you find it useful.
Article:
There is a lot to be said about things falling out of the sky in Iowa during winter. We have had snow, ice, rain and the beloved winter mix, which is apparently a mixture of all three. Add to that, for the first time in my life I witnessed “thundersnow.” A term I don’t think I will ever forget and one that sounds like the title of a B movie.
What I find interesting is that these events come and go on a fairly regular basis. No matter how bad the storm, we know in a day or two it will be gone and in some cases within a couple of hours. That is just the way weather works in Iowa, and we are used to it.
Posted in Nick Reddin
Tagged Des Moines Business Record, Economical Crisis, Manpower, Nick Reddin
Poison in the Watercooler: Your Response to Office Drama
This is an article I wrote for Veritas Magazine on the dangers of office gossip and backstabbing. Hopefully you never participate in these types of behaviors, but truth be told at some point we all do.
Article:
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from The Office, it’s that drama for the sake of drama is a normal part of our culture and social dynamic. If Andy’s not running over Dwight in the parking lot, Michael is making a tasteless joke inside.
But even outside network television, we use drama for all kinds of sinful reasons. It’s out of pride, arrogance, vanity, or selfishness, and the list could go on. A lot of the times the drama is aimed squarely at us, and as Christians we have a definite choice to make: How am I going to act and respond?
Posted in Nick Reddin
Tagged Nick Reddin, Office Gossip, Office Politics, The Office, Veritas Magazine
Certain Uncertainty at Work
This is an article I recently wrote for the Des Moines Business Record dealing with the current uncertainty people are feeling at work. I try to give some prescriptive measures to company managers and leaders in what I think are good ideas to help quell worker insecurity.
Article:
Preacher and author Leroy Brownlow once said, “There are times when silence has the loudest voice.” Of course, what he did not say is exactly what that applies to. Though I agree with him, I think there are some very definite positive and negative effects of being silent, especially in uncertain times. I think there are times when silence is needed more than a loud voice, and conversely I think there are times when a loud or at least a consistent voice is needed.
Posted in Nick Reddin
Tagged Business Record, Communication, Des Moines, Iowa, Layoffs, Nick Reddin, Worker Insecurity
Hit the Road: Laid Off but Not Forgotten
This is an article I recently wrote for Des Moines’s Veritas Magazine. With all the uncertainty around us, it is a good reminder to know that some things are unchangeable.
Article:
Let me start by first asking a simple question: Do you believe God has a plan for your life? Now, before you rush to answer, I want you to take a moment and search your heart. Do you really believe, in your heart, God has a plan for you? If you are not sure because of your current circumstances of unemployment or dissatisfaction with life, I have great news for you.
Posted in Nick Reddin
Tagged Des Moines, Economic Crisis, God, Iowa, Layoffs, Veritas Magazine
How to Whistle While You Work
This is an article I wrote for Veritas Magazine in Des Moines, IA. I focused this article on making the most out of your work situations even when times are tough.
Article:
When people think of work, typically they would rather think about the end of work. When is the work day over? When is break? How much longer until lunch? When is the weekend going to get here? Although it is easy to have that attitude, it is important to remember something about the whole idea of work.
Yes, Generation Y Loyalty Does Exist
The header and link below is to an article I recently wrote for the Des Moines Business Record. I encourage you to read through it and I would love to hear your thoughts on Gen Y.
Article:
Before you start launching tomatoes and pelting me with empty pop cans, let me explain. I know when you see “Generation Y” and “loyalty” in the same sentence, you think it is an oxymoron along the classic lines of “military intelligence.” Well, I have news. The Gen-Y folks do have a strangely loyal generational distinction.
Let’s look at a couple of things before I broad-brush the whole generation loyal. First, the members of Generation Y are often accused of being the most self-centered generation ever. They have been called the “me” generation, and to capitalize on it, they have Web pages all about themselves, using social media to share with the world more and more about themselves. They love Twitter.com, which allows them to tell all their friends and family exactly what they are doing in real-time microbursts.
Audio from my Radio Show on WHO Newsradio 1040
A few weeks ago (Nov 26, 2008) I filled in for local radio talk show host Jan Mickelson on the world famous 1040 am WHO radio station in Des Moines. I talked mostly about subjects pertaining to the world of work, which as you know is my specialty. Since I have had so many requests to listen to it, I am now posting the audio. WHO was phenomenal to work with and I enjoyed the experience tremendously and look forward to doing it again.
I want to again give a huge thanks to Van, Joel, and Jan for allowing me the opportunity.
I hope you enjoy the broadcast.
Posted in Nick Reddin
Tagged 1040 am, Clear Channel, Des Moines, Jan Mickelson, Nick Reddin, WHO News Radio
Are You a 360 Executive, Manager, Worker?
With all the news about layoffs and downsizing I thought I would tackle the subject of relevancy at work. The more relevant you are to your company the better the odds that you won’t be the one being let go. I wrote this for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry.
Article:
At first glance that may seem like a strange question. In actuality, it is probably one of the most important questions you can ask yourself. Can you honestly say, “Yes, I am 360!” Can you honestly say, “I know what it means to be 360.” From what I see, most people in the workforce would have to answer “no” on both.
Your next question would probably be, “what the heck is a 360 and how do I become it?” Being 360 means you understand everything about the business where you work and what’s going on around you. Most managers and executives focus only on their area of supervision and beyond that have a very superficial knowledge. Being 360 means you are fully engaged in the company and trying to understand how everything fits together and how to ultimately derive success.
The Impact of Social Technology
Below are two links to articles I was interviewed for by the Quad-City Business Journal. The two articles deal with how to keep up with changing technology as well as the impact and challenges of the social networking/technology landscape. To say both of those are fairly heavy topics is an understatement, but I think you will enjoy them nonetheless.
Articles:
Posted in Nick Reddin, Social Networking, Workforce Trends
Tagged Bebo, Facebook, LinkedIn, Manpower, Nick Reddin, Ning, Quad-City Business Journal, Social Networking, Technology, Twitter
Executive Retention is a Problem, Too
Below is my latest article from the Des Moines Business Record on Executive Retention. Please feel free to comment after reading it, I would love to hear your insight and opinion on the topic.
Article:
When I go out and speak to companies and organizations about the world of work, inevitably someone will ask me about retention. Typically, the question is framed around the lowest ranks of the company. I’ve yet to be asked about retention strategies targeted toward executives. You may not think executive retention is an issue. Think again.
The average tenure for company executives in America is four years. For a position that is expensive to fill and incredibly important for a company’s survival, I think a four-year average is barely enough to get any return on investment.
