All Backed Up
How The Genuity Case Was Broken
CIBC cracked the Genuity case by going through its enemies' Blackberry messages for evidence.
But how did they get access to them?
The Heroic Techie did some research and here's what he found.
Preliminary Info
The Blackberry is a handheld wireless computing device known best for its ability to receive and send email. It's made by Research in Motion (RIM).
A Blackberry sends email using a regular email address. But it can also send messages to another Blackberry by using the Personal Identification Number of the receiving BlackBerry as an address.
PIN-to-PIN messages are not logged on the company's main computer system like regular email.
The only full record of P2P message content is maintained on the sending and receiving devices.
When the Genuity case broke, CIBC went to RIM for help.
And the RIMmers gave them the key information.
The Key Facts
If the end-user uses the backup feature in the BlackBerry Desktop Manager, all databases on the BlackBerry (including contacts, calendar, to-do lists, memos, mail and P2P messages) are backed up to the end-user's desktop.
And, many corporate IT departments routinely set up scheduled backups in the BlackBerry Desktop Manager.
So, the desktop computers of the ex-employees would contain records of their BlackBerry messages.
And if they were deleted on the desktop, they would probably have been stored in the company's backups.
How can you protect yourself?
See Taylor & Company for the rest.
See Also: GenuityGang Strikes Back -- CIBC Recruiting Scandal -- David Kassie, Kingpin -- David Kassie's Dream -- Dan Daviau -- Earl Rotman -- Kassie Defiant -- Phil Evershed -- Hirst, Morrison, Eggertson -- Marie Cordero -- Bad 4 Recruiters -- Sweet Marie -- The Kassie Cult -- Kassie Honoured -- Hunkin's Millions -- BlackBerry Got 'Em -- Kassie Family Hunted -- Blackberry Mystery Solved -- The Genuity Revolution -- Technorati Tag: Genuity
Are CEOs Overpaid?
Monty says yes.
Walter Williams says No!
Here are his main points.
1. Many attacks on CEO's are irrational.
Some are driven by envy and others are based on over-generalizations as people use the Enron and WorldCom scandals to smear all CEOs.
2. Jack Welch made GE a lot of money.
When he became General Electric's CEO in 1981, the stock market judged the company to be worth $14 billion. Today, GE is worth $500 billion
If Welch was paid one-half of a percent of the increase in value, his comp would have been $2.5 billion instead of the few hundred million he received.
3. Jim Kilts made Gillette a lot of money.
Gillette was near death when Kilts took over in 2001. It's stock had lost half its value in two years and sales volume and market shares of its major brands had plummeted.
By January 2005 Gillette's market value increased by $11.3 billion, a 34% improvement. And since the PG-Gillette merger announcement, Gillette's value has risen another $5.7 billion.
Kilts' comp package over the past four years totals $17.5 million. And he's going to make $153 million from the merger.
That's a lot of money but it's only 1.5% of his contribution to Gillette's value.
4. The numbers say they're worth it.
If you were the owner of GE, and a CEO could turn your $14 billion corporation into a $500 billion one, how much would you be willing to pay?
How much to turn Gillette from a corporation in steep decline into one Procter & Gamble was willing to buy for $57 billion?
If a corporation could buy a $300 computer that could do what a CEO could do, would it pay CEOs millions of dollars?
5. If you don't pay them, the competition will.
If a company has a good CEO, others will want him too. So, to keep him, you've got to pay them more than anyone else will.
MONTY STRIKES BACK
Williams makes two odd assumptions .
1. That criticism is aimed at successful CEOs
Most critics of exec pay focus on pay of CEOs at mediocre or poor performing companies.
Having said that, it is still hard to fathom why either of these men needed that many nickels in the end...which makes them natural lightning rods for the issue.
2. The CEO is the primary driver of company performance.
The question is not how much did Jack Welch make for GE shareholders but rather how much more than a simply competent CEO did he make for shareholders.
Empirical evidence suggests that we
over attribute success to CEO skills.
Monty says yes.
Walter Williams says No!
Here are his main points.
1. Many attacks on CEO's are irrational.
Some are driven by envy and others are based on over-generalizations as people use the Enron and WorldCom scandals to smear all CEOs.
2. Jack Welch made GE a lot of money.
When he became General Electric's CEO in 1981, the stock market judged the company to be worth $14 billion. Today, GE is worth $500 billion
If Welch was paid one-half of a percent of the increase in value, his comp would have been $2.5 billion instead of the few hundred million he received.
3. Jim Kilts made Gillette a lot of money.
Gillette was near death when Kilts took over in 2001. It's stock had lost half its value in two years and sales volume and market shares of its major brands had plummeted.
By January 2005 Gillette's market value increased by $11.3 billion, a 34% improvement. And since the PG-Gillette merger announcement, Gillette's value has risen another $5.7 billion.
Kilts' comp package over the past four years totals $17.5 million. And he's going to make $153 million from the merger.
That's a lot of money but it's only 1.5% of his contribution to Gillette's value.
4. The numbers say they're worth it.
If you were the owner of GE, and a CEO could turn your $14 billion corporation into a $500 billion one, how much would you be willing to pay?
How much to turn Gillette from a corporation in steep decline into one Procter & Gamble was willing to buy for $57 billion?
If a corporation could buy a $300 computer that could do what a CEO could do, would it pay CEOs millions of dollars?
5. If you don't pay them, the competition will.
If a company has a good CEO, others will want him too. So, to keep him, you've got to pay them more than anyone else will.
MONTY STRIKES BACK
Williams makes two odd assumptions .
1. That criticism is aimed at successful CEOs
Most critics of exec pay focus on pay of CEOs at mediocre or poor performing companies.
Having said that, it is still hard to fathom why either of these men needed that many nickels in the end...which makes them natural lightning rods for the issue.
2. The CEO is the primary driver of company performance.
The question is not how much did Jack Welch make for GE shareholders but rather how much more than a simply competent CEO did he make for shareholders.
Empirical evidence suggests that we
over attribute success to CEO skills.
Tie One On
Hey it’s Friday again so it must mean it’s time for another posting on clothes. Last time I told you about suits and how to select a suit.
We went with classic navy. Remember?
Now we come to another perilous area. The necktie.
I know most guys hate to wear neckties. Why? Because they can be uncomfortable but your tie feels too tight it may actually be your shirt that’s the problem. Have you gained a little weight lately? Most men don’t know their neck size (again this is something your tailor can help you with.)
Hey maybe I should have done a posting on shirts before ties?
Well maybe next time. Suffice to say that you need a white shirt to go with your suit. Don’t try anything fancy – this is your interview suit remember?
So on to neckties. This is a very very simple process.
You have a navy suit, you have a white shirt, go and buy a striped tie.
There are many many many different types of ties. Too many in fact; especially for the first time buyer. However like a good navy suit certain tie patterns remain classic and timeless.
The striped tie is one of those. So if you want to make this particularly painless just go and buy a tie like the one pictured.
The basic rule for a tie is this: repeating pattern. As a matter of fact I would like to repeat that: repeating pattern.
Basically a repeating pattern tie has stripes, dots, diamonds or similar small designes which repeat through the length of the tie.
Again they are classic and timeless and will look good no matter what the style is.
Stay away from novelty ties for an interview. What are novelty ties? Well a Daffy Duck tie for example or any tie with a picture or funny design. That includes those stupid ties with piano keys running the length of them, ties with golf balls or clubs on them (unless they are in a teeny tiny repeating pattern) or any other crap that you see on a cheap tie you get for Christmas.
Rule of thumb: ties you get as gifts are not appropriate for interview wear 99% of the time.
Also don’t wear those awful flowery ties that have no discernable pattern and just look like the cat puked on it. Let some other schmuck wear that crap. And I know what you are thinking – that sounds pretty boring but ask your self this: Would a sophisticated gentleman like James Bond sully his navy suit with a cheap novelty tie?
Nope, not a chance and neither should you.
By the way not all striped ties are good looking.
People often worry about what colour tie goes with what suit. Well luckily a navy suit is a versatile palette that you can spice up with a variety of different colours.
The easiest colour to match with a navy suit is maroon. A maroon tie (or one with maroon as it’s main colour) is the classic colour match for a navy suit. Note that maroon is not bright red it is more muted.
Also you can use a blue tie (surprise) but be careful that it isn’t a real light blue or it will look washed out. A blue and white striped tie looks (like the one shown here) phenomenal with a navy suit.
Additionally a tie with a deep gold (like the one above) as it’s main color works well also.
BTW there is a trend to solid color ties lately with no pattern. These don’t work well with a white shirt. There’s nothing wrong with them and they look very sharp with the right combination of shirt but don’t wear it for the interview.
Now, buying a tie. First of all it has to be one that you tie yourself not a clip on tie.
Also it has to be 100% silk. No polyester or all the fancy words for polyester. I once paid over 100.00 for a tie that had some weird combination of materials other than silk. Boy, did I feel ripped off.
Luckily the same place you buy your suit will generally have a good selection of ties.
Tell your sales clerk that you want a conservative tie (you have to use the word conservative with these guys or trust me they will try to sell you all kinds of weird shit). And if you say I’d like a nice classic striped tie they will pretty much give you a perfect one for your navy suit.
Of course you have to learn how to tie a proper knot as well (he half Windsor knot is the most versatile)
. There are all kinds of good sites on line that show this. But you should learn how to tie your own tie.
Like this one.
And your tie should hang so that the end of it just covers the buckle of your belt. Not just above, it will emphasize your gut.
Oh yeah and get a tie clip.
Previous posts on this subject: The Interview Suit The Interview Shoe (endorsed by the Manolo!) and Casual Fridays
Hey it’s Friday again so it must mean it’s time for another posting on clothes. Last time I told you about suits and how to select a suit.
We went with classic navy. Remember?
Now we come to another perilous area. The necktie.
I know most guys hate to wear neckties. Why? Because they can be uncomfortable but your tie feels too tight it may actually be your shirt that’s the problem. Have you gained a little weight lately? Most men don’t know their neck size (again this is something your tailor can help you with.)
Hey maybe I should have done a posting on shirts before ties?
Well maybe next time. Suffice to say that you need a white shirt to go with your suit. Don’t try anything fancy – this is your interview suit remember?
So on to neckties. This is a very very simple process.
You have a navy suit, you have a white shirt, go and buy a striped tie.
There are many many many different types of ties. Too many in fact; especially for the first time buyer. However like a good navy suit certain tie patterns remain classic and timeless.
The striped tie is one of those. So if you want to make this particularly painless just go and buy a tie like the one pictured.
The basic rule for a tie is this: repeating pattern. As a matter of fact I would like to repeat that: repeating pattern.
Basically a repeating pattern tie has stripes, dots, diamonds or similar small designes which repeat through the length of the tie.
Again they are classic and timeless and will look good no matter what the style is.
Stay away from novelty ties for an interview. What are novelty ties? Well a Daffy Duck tie for example or any tie with a picture or funny design. That includes those stupid ties with piano keys running the length of them, ties with golf balls or clubs on them (unless they are in a teeny tiny repeating pattern) or any other crap that you see on a cheap tie you get for Christmas.
Rule of thumb: ties you get as gifts are not appropriate for interview wear 99% of the time.
Also don’t wear those awful flowery ties that have no discernable pattern and just look like the cat puked on it. Let some other schmuck wear that crap. And I know what you are thinking – that sounds pretty boring but ask your self this: Would a sophisticated gentleman like James Bond sully his navy suit with a cheap novelty tie?
Nope, not a chance and neither should you.
By the way not all striped ties are good looking.
People often worry about what colour tie goes with what suit. Well luckily a navy suit is a versatile palette that you can spice up with a variety of different colours.
The easiest colour to match with a navy suit is maroon. A maroon tie (or one with maroon as it’s main colour) is the classic colour match for a navy suit. Note that maroon is not bright red it is more muted.
Also you can use a blue tie (surprise) but be careful that it isn’t a real light blue or it will look washed out. A blue and white striped tie looks (like the one shown here) phenomenal with a navy suit.
Additionally a tie with a deep gold (like the one above) as it’s main color works well also.
BTW there is a trend to solid color ties lately with no pattern. These don’t work well with a white shirt. There’s nothing wrong with them and they look very sharp with the right combination of shirt but don’t wear it for the interview.
Now, buying a tie. First of all it has to be one that you tie yourself not a clip on tie.
Also it has to be 100% silk. No polyester or all the fancy words for polyester. I once paid over 100.00 for a tie that had some weird combination of materials other than silk. Boy, did I feel ripped off.
Luckily the same place you buy your suit will generally have a good selection of ties.
Tell your sales clerk that you want a conservative tie (you have to use the word conservative with these guys or trust me they will try to sell you all kinds of weird shit). And if you say I’d like a nice classic striped tie they will pretty much give you a perfect one for your navy suit.
Of course you have to learn how to tie a proper knot as well (he half Windsor knot is the most versatile)
. There are all kinds of good sites on line that show this. But you should learn how to tie your own tie.
Like this one.
And your tie should hang so that the end of it just covers the buckle of your belt. Not just above, it will emphasize your gut.
Oh yeah and get a tie clip.
Previous posts on this subject: The Interview Suit The Interview Shoe (endorsed by the Manolo!) and Casual Fridays
Hiring Junior Staff
- Why when I was your age...my pappy would have....
we walked...I had to...blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
(with some modest input by me).
Melvin Levine says:
Baby boomer parents cater to their kids.
So the kids have fantasies about life being fun.
This makes them unwilling to work.
So, when you hire a young kid, tell her
the facts of life, right off the bat.
(The angry edge makes it very "zen".)
1. First jobs aren't dream jobs.
That's tough. But you can learn a lot here so you
can get your dream job later on.
2. Work isn’t a party.
So what? We aren't paying you to have fun. And you know what? We all feel that way. Why? Because that's life. And if you aren't willing to tough it out you're going to be the loser.
3. Do a good job, not an OK job.
Or, before you know it, you'll be gone.
And I'll give you bad references.
4. Take your lumps like a grown woman.
I’m going to tell you what you do wrong.
Learn from it. Don't whine about it.
5. Your fantasies don't determine your salary.
The market does. Think about it.
6. We know you're a genius.
But, here, you do what I say. We'll set up a time for your feedback. But don't be a smart ass or I'll hate your guts.
And consider this: your ideas might be wrong.
7. I might be an ass.
But you're stuck with me for now. So make the best of it.
And you know what else? You might be one too.
8. There are three ways to deal with problems.
a) You can whine.
b) You can do something destructive
c) You can do something productive.
You choose.
Interviewing Junior Staff
These ideas can be built into interviews to find out junior candidates think and to let them know how your values.
Here are some possible questions.
1. Some people believe that your dream job will come later in life.
And that your early jobs are not always fun but are great opportunites to learn. What are your thoughts about that.
2. Do you know what factors determine your salary?
3. Have you ever been in a situation in which your boss tells you to do something and you know a better way to do it? Tell me about it.
4. Have you ever had a boss who gave you feedback on your performance? Did she focus on your weaknesses or your strengths? How did you respond?
5. Let's say someone needs a job so she accepts work that isn't exciting. Then she doesn't bring a total commitment to doing a great job but only does enough to get by. What do you think is going to happen?
6. Have you ever had a boss who was a jerk?
How did you handle it? Or, how would you handle it?
7. Do you think that work is always going to be fun?
If it's not fun, do you think that's unfair?
Guilt-Tripping Baby Boomers
Targetting Baby Boomer parents is just a scam to sell books.
The "I Deserve-To-Enjoy-Life Syndrome" was present in the Baby Boomers themselves, not just their kids. It's the product of education and prosperity.
Before that came the Depression when desperate people were happy to get any job they could.
And, before that, well even when there wasn't a Depression money was scarce so you couldn't take a job lightly if you wanted to stay alive let alone prosper.
Question Me an Answer
Phila Lawyer is tired of the same old spiel from headhunters:
But hey, what can be expected? You've got the marketing-impaired pitching some of the most stale inventory available. They might try an honest approach:
"I have a bag of shit to offer you which might smell a tad better than the one you're presently holding..."
"Go on..."
Its a good read for all in the business but more importantly for those who retain recruiters. Our pitch is only as good as the information you give us. Read her post and see the type of questions she asks candidates. You have to give your recruiter all this type of information or the best candidates are going to chew them up on the phone.
In Scotland they would say "I have a bag of shite to offer you which might smell a tad better than the one you're presently holding..."
Phila Lawyer is tired of the same old spiel from headhunters:
But hey, what can be expected? You've got the marketing-impaired pitching some of the most stale inventory available. They might try an honest approach:
"I have a bag of shit to offer you which might smell a tad better than the one you're presently holding..."
"Go on..."
Its a good read for all in the business but more importantly for those who retain recruiters. Our pitch is only as good as the information you give us. Read her post and see the type of questions she asks candidates. You have to give your recruiter all this type of information or the best candidates are going to chew them up on the phone.
In Scotland they would say "I have a bag of shite to offer you which might smell a tad better than the one you're presently holding..."
Bizarre Firing
Workers Refuse to Go Ape
Two ex-employees of the Gorilla Foundation have filed a lawsuit contending that they were ordered to bond with Koko the talking ape by displaying their breasts.
According to claims which are hotly debated by scientists, Koko has a vocabulary of more than 1,000 words in American Sign Language.
Nancy Alperin and Kendra Keller claim that Francine "Penny" Patterson, president of the non-profit org, interpreted hand movements by Koko as a demand to see nipples -- and warned Alperin and Keller that their employment status would suffer if they did not honour Koko's requests.
Keller claims that on at least two incidents, Patterson pressured her to expose herself to Koko while they were working outside where other employees could see her.
Read the whole thing? It's right here.
Workers Refuse to Go Ape
Two ex-employees of the Gorilla Foundation have filed a lawsuit contending that they were ordered to bond with Koko the talking ape by displaying their breasts.
According to claims which are hotly debated by scientists, Koko has a vocabulary of more than 1,000 words in American Sign Language.
Nancy Alperin and Kendra Keller claim that Francine "Penny" Patterson, president of the non-profit org, interpreted hand movements by Koko as a demand to see nipples -- and warned Alperin and Keller that their employment status would suffer if they did not honour Koko's requests.
Keller claims that on at least two incidents, Patterson pressured her to expose herself to Koko while they were working outside where other employees could see her.
- On one such occasion, Patterson said, 'Koko, you see my nipples all the time. You are probably bored with my nipples. You need to see new nipples. I will turn my back so Kendra can show you her nipples.'
Read the whole thing? It's right here.
Germany Makes Prostitution An Obligation
Ties Acceptance of Job To Insurance
NOTE BIEN: Readers, I know this headline is shocking. And it does seem unbelievable, doesn't it? Well, there's a reason for that. We've just been informed that IT ISN'T TRUE.
Prostitution is now legal in Germany.
Therefore, any woman under 55 who has been out of work for more than a year can be forced to take any available job – including in the sex industry – or lose her unemployment benefits.
The government considered making brothels an exception on moral grounds, but decided that it would be too difficult to distinguish them from bars.
As a result, job centres must treat employers looking for a prostitute in the same way as any other company.
And job centres that refuse to cut the benefits of people who turn down a job face legal action from the brothel.
Unemployed women who had worked in call centres have been offered jobs on telephone sex lines.
And an unemployed information technology professional received a letter from her job centre telling her that an employer was interested in her "profile'' and that she should call him. On doing so, she found that she was calling a brothel.
She turned down a job providing sexual services in Berlin and now faces cuts to her unemployment benefits.
Full story here.
Ties Acceptance of Job To Insurance
NOTE BIEN: Readers, I know this headline is shocking. And it does seem unbelievable, doesn't it? Well, there's a reason for that. We've just been informed that IT ISN'T TRUE.
Prostitution is now legal in Germany.
Therefore, any woman under 55 who has been out of work for more than a year can be forced to take any available job – including in the sex industry – or lose her unemployment benefits.
The government considered making brothels an exception on moral grounds, but decided that it would be too difficult to distinguish them from bars.
As a result, job centres must treat employers looking for a prostitute in the same way as any other company.
And job centres that refuse to cut the benefits of people who turn down a job face legal action from the brothel.
Unemployed women who had worked in call centres have been offered jobs on telephone sex lines.
And an unemployed information technology professional received a letter from her job centre telling her that an employer was interested in her "profile'' and that she should call him. On doing so, she found that she was calling a brothel.
She turned down a job providing sexual services in Berlin and now faces cuts to her unemployment benefits.
Full story here.
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Oh to be the lucky headhunters at Russell Reynolds. They have landed the big search to replace Carly Fiorina at Hewlett Packard and all the prestige, pr and big fat retainer fees that go with it.
Not only that but the candidates long list has already been developed for them. So they don’t even have to burn their research budget.
Business journalists at Fortune, Forbes, as well as assorted industry watchers have been working overtime speculating as to who would be the best to replace Carly.
So in the interests of helping out our fellow recruiting brethren here is a list of the candidates most frequently mentioned by those who are watching.
Michael Capellas MCI; Capellas currently works at MCI however there is talk that MCI might be on the market and should it be acquired Capellas would be available
Capellas is so well liked in some circles that Merrill Lynch has publicly stated that he is their preferred candidate. Others aren’t so sure. You see Capellas is the former CEO of Compaq and was Fiorina’s partner in architecting the big merger. For some this suggests that HP’s board might not be too keen on Capellas since the merger has been such a collossal bust. BTW doesn't he look a little like Tony Sorpano?
John Joyce IBM; Joyce is Senior Vice President and Group Executive of IBM Global Services (IGS), the world's largest information technology services and consulting provider. An approximately $46.5 billion division of IBM Corporation, IGS has some 190,000 employees in over 160 countries..
Why is this good? Well HP considers itself as a computer services company like IBM and not just a printer company. One of the big albatrosses around HP’s neck right now is the underperformance of the services and enterprise groups (well actually only the Printer division is doing well). So what better way to fix it than to pluck someone out of the most successful company in the world in that area?
Sounds like a sensible choice to me. Also he looks like a real ass kicker.
And speaking of the printer division...
Vyomesh Joshi HP; Joshi runs HP's printer and PC divisions (now called the Imaging and Personal Systems Group,) and is generally held in high regard by employees and analysts. Selecting an in-house candidate would also allow HP to demonstrate consistency.
At the same time some feel that the Printer division could be successful no matter who was running it and may look for someone whith some proven turn around skills and who has run a global service operation (like Joyce).
On the other hand India Times practically has him in the job already.
W. James McNerney. GE; When you are looking for talent at the very top you have to find someone who is ready to move and if someone has been passed over for the top job at a company they are usually ripe for the plucking. McNerney “who lost out to Jeff Immelt at GE and has since 2001 been running tech-heavy 3M. An executive recruiter says McNerney fits the "best athlete" category—headhunter jargon for an executive capable of running almost anything because his innate abilities set him above the crowd.”
Sean Maloney Intel; If you can’t find someone who has been passed over looking for someone who is blocked is also a good choice. Mahoney is considered to be a rising star at Intel however he is second in line for the CEO role behind Paul Otellini so Maloney might be an ideal target. On the other hand Otellini will only serve as CEO for five years because of age so maybe Maloney will elect to stay put. He certainly looks happy. In fact a little too happy. I think he needs to project more toughness. I think a tattoo would help.
Ed Zander Motorola; Zander formerly was the head of Sun Microsystems and is well liked but he may not be interested in leaving Motorola where he has just begun to peak to go to HP where it would be a tough slog. And besides didn't he used to have mad crush on Buffy? No wait, that was another Zander.
Kevin Rollins Dell Computer; Everyone wants this guy but the feeling is nothing can pull him out of Dell. Besides he has already said he doesn’t want the job. And he would probably want you to hire his brother Henry Rollins and that guy is nutty.
I don't know that there is a recipe that can turn it around," Rollins said in November. "I wouldn't go there first off. I wouldn't go run that one."
Yikes! How would you like to have a candidate who has already said on record that he doesn’t know that “there is a recipe that can turn it around”.
So there is your immediate short list. However there are more potentials beyond those "big" names. If you can't convince enough of these heavy hitters to take a sniff you could also try:
Steve Mills, SVP SW IBM;
Abby Kohnstamm, SVP Marketing IBM
Nick Donofrio, SVP Technology IBM
Doug Elix SVP Sales and Dist IBM
And when you get tired of calling through the IBM phone directory...
Ray Lane, former Oracle president,and Texas Instruments chairman Tom Engibous.
And if that doesn't work Forbes magazine suggests you try your luck at companies known for producing leaders. These talent factories include companies like IBM and GE but also include:
Dell
Johnson & Johnson
Weyerhaeuser
Procter and Gamble
PepsiCo
UBS
Cisco Systems
So now that we have done all the work for you. Can we have half the fee??
Read more: Fortune; Forbes; ZDNet and previously on Canadian Headhunter: here and here
Oh to be the lucky headhunters at Russell Reynolds. They have landed the big search to replace Carly Fiorina at Hewlett Packard and all the prestige, pr and big fat retainer fees that go with it.
Not only that but the candidates long list has already been developed for them. So they don’t even have to burn their research budget.
Business journalists at Fortune, Forbes, as well as assorted industry watchers have been working overtime speculating as to who would be the best to replace Carly.
So in the interests of helping out our fellow recruiting brethren here is a list of the candidates most frequently mentioned by those who are watching.
Michael Capellas MCI; Capellas currently works at MCI however there is talk that MCI might be on the market and should it be acquired Capellas would be available
Capellas is so well liked in some circles that Merrill Lynch has publicly stated that he is their preferred candidate. Others aren’t so sure. You see Capellas is the former CEO of Compaq and was Fiorina’s partner in architecting the big merger. For some this suggests that HP’s board might not be too keen on Capellas since the merger has been such a collossal bust. BTW doesn't he look a little like Tony Sorpano?
John Joyce IBM; Joyce is Senior Vice President and Group Executive of IBM Global Services (IGS), the world's largest information technology services and consulting provider. An approximately $46.5 billion division of IBM Corporation, IGS has some 190,000 employees in over 160 countries..
Why is this good? Well HP considers itself as a computer services company like IBM and not just a printer company. One of the big albatrosses around HP’s neck right now is the underperformance of the services and enterprise groups (well actually only the Printer division is doing well). So what better way to fix it than to pluck someone out of the most successful company in the world in that area?
Sounds like a sensible choice to me. Also he looks like a real ass kicker.
And speaking of the printer division...
Vyomesh Joshi HP; Joshi runs HP's printer and PC divisions (now called the Imaging and Personal Systems Group,) and is generally held in high regard by employees and analysts. Selecting an in-house candidate would also allow HP to demonstrate consistency.
At the same time some feel that the Printer division could be successful no matter who was running it and may look for someone whith some proven turn around skills and who has run a global service operation (like Joyce).
On the other hand India Times practically has him in the job already.
W. James McNerney. GE; When you are looking for talent at the very top you have to find someone who is ready to move and if someone has been passed over for the top job at a company they are usually ripe for the plucking. McNerney “who lost out to Jeff Immelt at GE and has since 2001 been running tech-heavy 3M. An executive recruiter says McNerney fits the "best athlete" category—headhunter jargon for an executive capable of running almost anything because his innate abilities set him above the crowd.”
Sean Maloney Intel; If you can’t find someone who has been passed over looking for someone who is blocked is also a good choice. Mahoney is considered to be a rising star at Intel however he is second in line for the CEO role behind Paul Otellini so Maloney might be an ideal target. On the other hand Otellini will only serve as CEO for five years because of age so maybe Maloney will elect to stay put. He certainly looks happy. In fact a little too happy. I think he needs to project more toughness. I think a tattoo would help.
Ed Zander Motorola; Zander formerly was the head of Sun Microsystems and is well liked but he may not be interested in leaving Motorola where he has just begun to peak to go to HP where it would be a tough slog. And besides didn't he used to have mad crush on Buffy? No wait, that was another Zander.
Kevin Rollins Dell Computer; Everyone wants this guy but the feeling is nothing can pull him out of Dell. Besides he has already said he doesn’t want the job. And he would probably want you to hire his brother Henry Rollins and that guy is nutty.
I don't know that there is a recipe that can turn it around," Rollins said in November. "I wouldn't go there first off. I wouldn't go run that one."
Yikes! How would you like to have a candidate who has already said on record that he doesn’t know that “there is a recipe that can turn it around”.
So there is your immediate short list. However there are more potentials beyond those "big" names. If you can't convince enough of these heavy hitters to take a sniff you could also try:
Steve Mills, SVP SW IBM;
Abby Kohnstamm, SVP Marketing IBM
Nick Donofrio, SVP Technology IBM
Doug Elix SVP Sales and Dist IBM
And when you get tired of calling through the IBM phone directory...
Ray Lane, former Oracle president,and Texas Instruments chairman Tom Engibous.
And if that doesn't work Forbes magazine suggests you try your luck at companies known for producing leaders. These talent factories include companies like IBM and GE but also include:
Dell
Johnson & Johnson
Weyerhaeuser
Procter and Gamble
PepsiCo
UBS
Cisco Systems
So now that we have done all the work for you. Can we have half the fee??
Read more: Fortune; Forbes; ZDNet and previously on Canadian Headhunter: here and here
Danielle In The Lion's Den
It was snowing last night but I felt like going out for a walk and when the snow got too heavy, I stepped into a pub called The Drunken Barfer for a warm drink.
Some kind of party was going on. I saw a sign that read "Welcome, Right Whingers!" and a young fellow in a calico shirt and blue jeans was holding forth to a small group of attentive listeners.
He was saying things like: "George Bush is the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln." and "Signing on to Confederation was the worst thing Newfoundland ever did. We should have joined the United States."
Suddenly, a small woman appeared in front of him dressed in a full burka. "You must be Damian Penny," she said. "I am," he replied, "And who are you?" "I'm your worst nightmare," she announced and, immediately, there was a lot of screaming and commotion as everyone in the room dropped to the floor.
When no explosion took place we saw that she wasn't wearing a burka after all, just a parka and a balaclava for protection from the storm. Startled, she pulled off her hood and said, "Hey, everybody, it's me, Antonia Zerbisias."
"Let's get her!" someone shouted. "No!" said a brush-cut young man. "We believe in freedom! That's the difference between us and The Toronto Star. Come on, Antonia. Help us understand the lunatic view of the world today."
I soon found out what was going on. This was a meeting of Canada's right wing bloggers. They had assembled to celebrate the visit of one of their shining stars. He'd come to Toronto from the tiny village of Mount Pearl in Newfoundland and was staying with his Uncle Jed as he tried to find a wife in the big city.
"Tell us, Antonia", Damian asked, "Do you finally concede that 911 was carried out by bin Laden?"
"Hey, I'm no conspirazoid," Antonia declared. "But, tell me this. Where's the black box? They can find everything else, how come they can't find the black box? No, I can't get over that black box!" Actually, she said "black box" a few more times than that but I don't want to give you the impression that she was unreasonable - or anything like that.
The talk turned to a variety of bloggers. Damian said he was shocked to learn that Little Green Footballs was not only an old hippie, but that he was just plain old. He's 51. Antonia took this as personal insult and some catty banter ensued but no serious argument.
Eventually, she had to go. She had an appointment with
Barry Zwicker.
As for me, I found the company pleasant and had conversations of varying length with No Advice, The Heroic Techie, Babbling Brooke, The Staple Singer, The Tightly Wound Watch, Quotavicious, Canada Freak Press, Let Me Bleed, Meektriarchy, The Green Barren, American Spy in Paris, Relaxed Catholic and The Flea.
I know that a David and Jane were there, as well, and others I didn't meet.
We had an interesting waitress, too. She's an aspiring young songstress The Flea is promoting as the next big thing for teenaged girls.
Her video is on his site and, if you're wondering what's wrong with the world today, or right, maybe you'll find an answer here. (I really dig it, daddyo. And, perhaps, I should take impromptu walks more often).
Note: Nick Quotavicious (he really is) threatened to beat me up if I didn't
give him credit for his lovely photo of Antonia. So here it is, tough guy.
Update here.
It was snowing last night but I felt like going out for a walk and when the snow got too heavy, I stepped into a pub called The Drunken Barfer for a warm drink.
Some kind of party was going on. I saw a sign that read "Welcome, Right Whingers!" and a young fellow in a calico shirt and blue jeans was holding forth to a small group of attentive listeners.
He was saying things like: "George Bush is the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln." and "Signing on to Confederation was the worst thing Newfoundland ever did. We should have joined the United States."
Suddenly, a small woman appeared in front of him dressed in a full burka. "You must be Damian Penny," she said. "I am," he replied, "And who are you?" "I'm your worst nightmare," she announced and, immediately, there was a lot of screaming and commotion as everyone in the room dropped to the floor.
When no explosion took place we saw that she wasn't wearing a burka after all, just a parka and a balaclava for protection from the storm. Startled, she pulled off her hood and said, "Hey, everybody, it's me, Antonia Zerbisias."
"Let's get her!" someone shouted. "No!" said a brush-cut young man. "We believe in freedom! That's the difference between us and The Toronto Star. Come on, Antonia. Help us understand the lunatic view of the world today."
I soon found out what was going on. This was a meeting of Canada's right wing bloggers. They had assembled to celebrate the visit of one of their shining stars. He'd come to Toronto from the tiny village of Mount Pearl in Newfoundland and was staying with his Uncle Jed as he tried to find a wife in the big city.
"Tell us, Antonia", Damian asked, "Do you finally concede that 911 was carried out by bin Laden?"
"Hey, I'm no conspirazoid," Antonia declared. "But, tell me this. Where's the black box? They can find everything else, how come they can't find the black box? No, I can't get over that black box!" Actually, she said "black box" a few more times than that but I don't want to give you the impression that she was unreasonable - or anything like that.
The talk turned to a variety of bloggers. Damian said he was shocked to learn that Little Green Footballs was not only an old hippie, but that he was just plain old. He's 51. Antonia took this as personal insult and some catty banter ensued but no serious argument.
Eventually, she had to go. She had an appointment with
Barry Zwicker.
As for me, I found the company pleasant and had conversations of varying length with No Advice, The Heroic Techie, Babbling Brooke, The Staple Singer, The Tightly Wound Watch, Quotavicious, Canada Freak Press, Let Me Bleed, Meektriarchy, The Green Barren, American Spy in Paris, Relaxed Catholic and The Flea.
I know that a David and Jane were there, as well, and others I didn't meet.
We had an interesting waitress, too. She's an aspiring young songstress The Flea is promoting as the next big thing for teenaged girls.
Her video is on his site and, if you're wondering what's wrong with the world today, or right, maybe you'll find an answer here. (I really dig it, daddyo. And, perhaps, I should take impromptu walks more often).
Note: Nick Quotavicious (he really is) threatened to beat me up if I didn't
give him credit for his lovely photo of Antonia. So here it is, tough guy.
Update here.
The Heroic Techie
A Worker's Testimony
This is something he might want to pass on to his children if, God forbid, he has to leave them when they are young (and he thinks they'll go into IT).
I found it stark and impressive so I've produced an abbreviated, paraphrased version below. He's got a little of the old Rambo in him, don't you think?
Professionalism
We all work with people we don't like. So what?
I may want to knock you on your ass if I see you in the parking lot, but if I see you in the office, I will laugh, joke and share a coffee with you.
This is what duty demands.
Gender Relations
There are very few women in IT. Why? Ask Lawrence Summers.
Just don't expect an IT job to be good for your love life unless you're looking forward to a same sex marriage.
Actually, don't go out with anyone from your company under any circumstances.
Because when you split up, it's going to get ugly.
Moral Fibre of The Rulers
My credo is simple:
Serve those above.
Rule those below.
Move heaven and earth
I want my bosses (all the way to the top) to demonstrate honesty, integrity, courage, competence, humility and loyalty to the troops they command.
If they don't have those qualities, I will leave the job.
This is the single most important factor in determining the length of my stay.
The Interview
The problem with an interview is you can't tell a good leader from a bad one until you work alongside him.
And you won't really know him until a crisis comes and you see if he helps you or leaves you holding the bag. For,
And being able to work with those who do is more important than any perks or pay.
The Story of A Crunch
I once had a CEO who was an ex-IBM senior exec.
When one project was seriously behind schedule he came down to the shop floor and yelled at the manager, calling her several variants of the F-word in front of the entire technical staff.
I wrote to the CIO about it. He dodged the issue, sending back an insipid "Very interesting." as a reply.
It was sickening.
The Future of IT
The IT sector is OK now but asKarl Marx George Harrison said , "All things must pass."
When computers get so simple the averagebozo user can handle them, people like me will be cast aside.
There is nothing sad in this. That's how life is. But just remember, friend, if you're in IT, you must look ahead.
Source: Taylor, TextAmerica
A Worker's Testimony
- The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by
the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.
Quentin Tarantino
This is something he might want to pass on to his children if, God forbid, he has to leave them when they are young (and he thinks they'll go into IT).
I found it stark and impressive so I've produced an abbreviated, paraphrased version below. He's got a little of the old Rambo in him, don't you think?
Professionalism
We all work with people we don't like. So what?
I may want to knock you on your ass if I see you in the parking lot, but if I see you in the office, I will laugh, joke and share a coffee with you.
This is what duty demands.
Gender Relations
There are very few women in IT. Why? Ask Lawrence Summers.
Just don't expect an IT job to be good for your love life unless you're looking forward to a same sex marriage.
Actually, don't go out with anyone from your company under any circumstances.
Because when you split up, it's going to get ugly.
Moral Fibre of The Rulers
My credo is simple:
Serve those above.
Rule those below.
Move heaven and earth
- to see mission accomplished.
I want my bosses (all the way to the top) to demonstrate honesty, integrity, courage, competence, humility and loyalty to the troops they command.
If they don't have those qualities, I will leave the job.
This is the single most important factor in determining the length of my stay.
The Interview
The problem with an interview is you can't tell a good leader from a bad one until you work alongside him.
And you won't really know him until a crisis comes and you see if he helps you or leaves you holding the bag. For,
- There are no interview questions that let us
peer that deeply into the heart of a man.
And being able to work with those who do is more important than any perks or pay.
The Story of A Crunch
I once had a CEO who was an ex-IBM senior exec.
When one project was seriously behind schedule he came down to the shop floor and yelled at the manager, calling her several variants of the F-word in front of the entire technical staff.
I wrote to the CIO about it. He dodged the issue, sending back an insipid "Very interesting." as a reply.
It was sickening.
The Future of IT
The IT sector is OK now but as
When computers get so simple the average
There is nothing sad in this. That's how life is. But just remember, friend, if you're in IT, you must look ahead.
Source: Taylor, TextAmerica
The Crowds Come Out For
Recruiting Blogs On Parade
What does he say about Canadian Headhunter?
Profoundly disturbing blog. Two highschool students pretending to be recruiters.
Nope, sorry, that's [name deleted]. Here it is:
First post-modern recruiting blog! An absolute must!
Hey, that's more like it!
Don't believe me? You can find it right here.
Recruiting Blogs On Parade
- On the avenue, Fifth Avenue,
The photographers will snap us,
And you'll find that you're
In the Rotogravure.
What does he say about Canadian Headhunter?
Profoundly disturbing blog. Two highschool students pretending to be recruiters.
Nope, sorry, that's [name deleted]. Here it is:
First post-modern recruiting blog! An absolute must!
Hey, that's more like it!
Don't believe me? You can find it right here.
Break Time!
Snowy via The Flea
Happy Music via The Irish Eagle.
More Happy Music via The Flea (Click on the first "Numa")
Snowy via The Flea
Happy Music via The Irish Eagle.
More Happy Music via The Flea (Click on the first "Numa")
Bull-Roar!
Non-Verbal Communication Isn't All That!
The Non-Verbal Hogwash
I've got a bone to pick with Annie, Fortune Magazine's job-hunting advisor. Speaking of phone interviews she says:
Verbal Presentation Is Powerful
Unless a person is visually striking - in a positive or negative way - or has a peculiar smell, her verbal manner of presentation is going to be a very powerful factor in creating your impression of her.
And, unless you're looking for a romantic partner, once the person opens her mouth and you can see how well-informed and articulate she is and get a sense of her personality, other things fade into the background.
I work on the phone and although I can't see the people I sure get the feeling that I know them almost as well as if I actually met them.
Maybe even better because there are no concerns about all of the issues involved in physical presentations. I don't have to look a stranger in the eye. Or worry that my shoes aren't shined or that my zipper's undone.
And now I see that ol' Dave Teten agrees with me on this. Because according to him:
How did the face-to-face myth get started? In 1967, Albert Mehrabian, a UCLA professor, published research showing the significance of non-verbal cues in communications. His conclusion:
- 38% of communication is inflection and tone of voice
- 55% is facial expression
- 7% is based on what you actually say.
The Inventor Said It Isn't So
But Mehrabian himself said, explicitly, that these statistics are not relevant except in the very narrow confines of a similar situation.
His study only addressed the very narrow situation in which a listener is analyzing a speaker's general attitude (positive, negative, or neutral) when there is no prior acquaintance and no prior context for their discussion.
The Job Interview Is Pregnant With Context
I think that last point is important in relation to job interviews. Because then the situation comes full of context.
You often know quite a bit about the person beforehand and even when you don't the context provides many doors that allow you to dive right in to a personal conversation.
The Phony Experts
Of course the Hustlers don't care about that. All they want to do is tell you that you're missing something so they can supply it. And if they can find scientific data to support their views, so much the better.
So, next time you hear some communication or image consultant barking about the importance of non-verbal communication, take a step back.
Yeah, you want to have your shoes shined and your shirt tucked in but unless you go to modelling school you're rarely going to seem more poised than you normally are.
Just look at the politicians when they make speeches on TV. Most of them look like robots or marionettes clumsily trying to move this way and that in order to do as they were told.
You can just imagine someone offstage signalling madly "Hands up! Turn to the left! Look sincere!."
Yes, yes, very impressive. I feel better now. I can trust him. Not.
Non-Verbal Communication Isn't All That!
The Non-Verbal Hogwash
I've got a bone to pick with Annie, Fortune Magazine's job-hunting advisor. Speaking of phone interviews she says:
- Studies have shown that about 90% of human
communication is nonverbal, so you're in a kind
of limbo when the interviewer can't see you.
Verbal Presentation Is Powerful
Unless a person is visually striking - in a positive or negative way - or has a peculiar smell, her verbal manner of presentation is going to be a very powerful factor in creating your impression of her.
And, unless you're looking for a romantic partner, once the person opens her mouth and you can see how well-informed and articulate she is and get a sense of her personality, other things fade into the background.
I work on the phone and although I can't see the people I sure get the feeling that I know them almost as well as if I actually met them.
Maybe even better because there are no concerns about all of the issues involved in physical presentations. I don't have to look a stranger in the eye. Or worry that my shoes aren't shined or that my zipper's undone.
And now I see that ol' Dave Teten agrees with me on this. Because according to him:
- Face-to-face communication is not essential.
How did the face-to-face myth get started? In 1967, Albert Mehrabian, a UCLA professor, published research showing the significance of non-verbal cues in communications. His conclusion:
- The combined effect of simultaneous verbal, vocal and facial attitude communications is a weighted sum of their independent effects — with the coefficients of .07, .38, and .55, respectively.
(Albert Mehrabian and Susan R. Ferris, "Inference of attitudes from nonverbal communication in two channels. Journal of Consulting Psychology 31 (1967): 248-252. )
- 38% of communication is inflection and tone of voice
- 55% is facial expression
- 7% is based on what you actually say.
The Inventor Said It Isn't So
But Mehrabian himself said, explicitly, that these statistics are not relevant except in the very narrow confines of a similar situation.
His study only addressed the very narrow situation in which a listener is analyzing a speaker's general attitude (positive, negative, or neutral) when there is no prior acquaintance and no prior context for their discussion.
The Job Interview Is Pregnant With Context
I think that last point is important in relation to job interviews. Because then the situation comes full of context.
You often know quite a bit about the person beforehand and even when you don't the context provides many doors that allow you to dive right in to a personal conversation.
The Phony Experts
Of course the Hustlers don't care about that. All they want to do is tell you that you're missing something so they can supply it. And if they can find scientific data to support their views, so much the better.
So, next time you hear some communication or image consultant barking about the importance of non-verbal communication, take a step back.
Yeah, you want to have your shoes shined and your shirt tucked in but unless you go to modelling school you're rarely going to seem more poised than you normally are.
Just look at the politicians when they make speeches on TV. Most of them look like robots or marionettes clumsily trying to move this way and that in order to do as they were told.
You can just imagine someone offstage signalling madly "Hands up! Turn to the left! Look sincere!."
Yes, yes, very impressive. I feel better now. I can trust him. Not.
Not A Chance
We weren't even called by HP to submit proposals for the search to find a replacement for Carly Fiorina.
I guess we should have called or sent an email or something.
But heck we're just too busy writing posts about shoes and Genuity and stuff. Priorities don't you know.
Anyway Russell Reynolds was given the search and they have put their top guys on it. Well a guy and girl actually.
OK that wasn't politically correct. A man and a woman.
More specifically.
This Man (Charles Tribett):
and this Woman (Andrea Redmond) :
Good luck in your search dudes. I'm sure that there will be no shortage of candidates.
But in case the Russell Reynolds crew doesn't find anyone Canadian Headhunter will be there to pick up the pieces.
Hat tip: Peter Dawson
We weren't even called by HP to submit proposals for the search to find a replacement for Carly Fiorina.
I guess we should have called or sent an email or something.
But heck we're just too busy writing posts about shoes and Genuity and stuff. Priorities don't you know.
Anyway Russell Reynolds was given the search and they have put their top guys on it. Well a guy and girl actually.
OK that wasn't politically correct. A man and a woman.
More specifically.
This Man (Charles Tribett):
and this Woman (Andrea Redmond) :
Good luck in your search dudes. I'm sure that there will be no shortage of candidates. But in case the Russell Reynolds crew doesn't find anyone Canadian Headhunter will be there to pick up the pieces.
Hat tip: Peter Dawson
Rubber Soul
But, Land o' Goshen, he doesn't call them Holy Soles. He calls them Crocs. And his "Crocs" cost $35 USD, whereas mine cost considerably less in Canadian money.
And, finally I intended to praise the shoe and highly recommend it, whereas the Manolo, he consigned it to his Gallery of Horrors!
And, since I respect the Manolo greatly, I fear for what this means about me. But, before you start throwing your bagels at the screen, please, please, let me explain.
The Holy Sole is a plastic clog. It's made out of some sturdy kind of foam so it is unbelievably lightweight.
And, there are two versions. The one Manolo shows has an attractive "band" and is a little roomier than the basic.
The basic one, which is cheaper, has a spongier bottom which makes it incredibly comfortable if you are standing on your feet.
(I have both).
I bought these shoes from a friend of mine named Steven Dennis. We call him "Shorts", because he has an addiction to casual wear.
(Really, he'll wear shorts to an expensive dining room for dinner unless you tell him not to.)
He'll sell you these shoes (in larger volumes) at a very good price. And, he's a nice guy you can trust. If you're interested you can reach him at Dominion Smallwares in Toronto at 416-665-9256.
I bought Anthony a pair but he refuses to wear them. However, I got my brother a pair too and although he's a rough and tough guy like Tony Soprano, he called me the next day to tell me they were great.
So, I do recommend them, in spite of our friend, even if you work in an office.
As long as you don't have to meet strangers, you can leave your regular shoes in the drawer and wear these during the day.
If you're wearing a suit and you buy the black ones, I'll bet few people will even notice.
One more thing, the sizing is funny. I usually wear size 11. But in these I chose an XXL because I prefer them roomy.
And, the only thing I don't like about them is that plastic is not especially cool even when it's full of holes. But if it's cool enough to wear socks where you are sitting, you won't find them hot at all.
Shorts' brother-in-law is a surgeon in Chicago and he, apparently, bought 70 pair for the people in the hospital. And, a friend of mine thought they would be quite popular in prisons.
Hmmm. Now, I get it. The Manolo isn't writing for the people in the unpleasant institutions. (That's why he doesn't like Cuba.) But read his post anyway. Itsa very funny, as usual!
- Wear these shoes, and be like me
Wear these shoes, and you'll free
Wear the shoes, I'm thinking of
They have soles you'll really love.
They're so fine, light as sunshine
Buy these shoes, Love.
But, Land o' Goshen, he doesn't call them Holy Soles. He calls them Crocs. And his "Crocs" cost $35 USD, whereas mine cost considerably less in Canadian money.
And, finally I intended to praise the shoe and highly recommend it, whereas the Manolo, he consigned it to his Gallery of Horrors!
And, since I respect the Manolo greatly, I fear for what this means about me. But, before you start throwing your bagels at the screen, please, please, let me explain.
The Holy Sole is a plastic clog. It's made out of some sturdy kind of foam so it is unbelievably lightweight.
And, there are two versions. The one Manolo shows has an attractive "band" and is a little roomier than the basic.
The basic one, which is cheaper, has a spongier bottom which makes it incredibly comfortable if you are standing on your feet.
(I have both).
I bought these shoes from a friend of mine named Steven Dennis. We call him "Shorts", because he has an addiction to casual wear.
(Really, he'll wear shorts to an expensive dining room for dinner unless you tell him not to.)
He'll sell you these shoes (in larger volumes) at a very good price. And, he's a nice guy you can trust. If you're interested you can reach him at Dominion Smallwares in Toronto at 416-665-9256.
I bought Anthony a pair but he refuses to wear them. However, I got my brother a pair too and although he's a rough and tough guy like Tony Soprano, he called me the next day to tell me they were great.
So, I do recommend them, in spite of our friend, even if you work in an office.
As long as you don't have to meet strangers, you can leave your regular shoes in the drawer and wear these during the day.
If you're wearing a suit and you buy the black ones, I'll bet few people will even notice.
One more thing, the sizing is funny. I usually wear size 11. But in these I chose an XXL because I prefer them roomy.
And, the only thing I don't like about them is that plastic is not especially cool even when it's full of holes. But if it's cool enough to wear socks where you are sitting, you won't find them hot at all.
Shorts' brother-in-law is a surgeon in Chicago and he, apparently, bought 70 pair for the people in the hospital. And, a friend of mine thought they would be quite popular in prisons.
Hmmm. Now, I get it. The Manolo isn't writing for the people in the unpleasant institutions. (That's why he doesn't like Cuba.) But read his post anyway. Itsa very funny, as usual!
Overfed & Undernourished
Resume Verbiage Out!
More than half of all resumes are morbidly obese
So says the Canadian Resume Society.
It's a tragedy, I know. But we can help.
Listen, friends, answer this question.
Do you know what a resume is?
Here, I'll help you.
A resume is a small space in which you
have to write your life story.
Now, answer this question.
Do you know what verbiage is?
That's OK. I'll help you again.
Verbiage is the use of TOO MANY WORDS! Get it?
Now, if you know the answers to those two questions,
why are you writing like this?
Listen here, you adverbaholics!
If you put something in your resume, I assume it was successful and efficient. You don't have to tell me every two seconds!
And no matter what you write, you know I'm going to ask you for proof! (Which you probably won't be prepared to give).
So don't fill up your precious space with this braggadacio.
It's not efficient. And it's not successful.
It's excessive. And it's dumb.
Think about it. Now, don't you agree?
Come on, friends, cut the fat!
You'll be helping everyone.
But especially yourselves.
Resume Verbiage Out!
More than half of all resumes are morbidly obese
So says the Canadian Resume Society.
It's a tragedy, I know. But we can help.
Listen, friends, answer this question.
Do you know what a resume is?
Here, I'll help you.
A resume is a small space in which you
have to write your life story.
Now, answer this question.
Do you know what verbiage is?
That's OK. I'll help you again.
Verbiage is the use of TOO MANY WORDS! Get it?
Now, if you know the answers to those two questions,
why are you writing like this?
- Efficiently communicated project changes.
Successfully completed projects.
Listen here, you adverbaholics!
If you put something in your resume, I assume it was successful and efficient. You don't have to tell me every two seconds!
And no matter what you write, you know I'm going to ask you for proof! (Which you probably won't be prepared to give).
So don't fill up your precious space with this braggadacio.
It's not efficient. And it's not successful.
It's excessive. And it's dumb.
Think about it. Now, don't you agree?
Come on, friends, cut the fat!
You'll be helping everyone.
But especially yourselves.
The Interview Suit.
Continuing with our now wildly successful theme of clothes to wear for a job interview this week let’s talk about the big one: the suit.
I could write for days on this topic. It is fraught with pitfalls, preferences and petty little details that drive a lot of guys over the deep end.
I know guys hate shopping (at least for certain things) so I will make this one easy for you. Well, as easy as possible.
If you don’t have a suit (or don’t have to wear one every day) you still need at least one in your closet. If you wear suits regularly you need at least three. If you are in a profession that demands you look business like at all times you should have 8-10 suits.
However I will approach this from the perspective of someone who doesn’t have a suit only needs one for special occasions or for those who don’t know squat about buying a suit (and trust me there are a lot those out there).
First the easy bit: If you only need one suit all you have to do is go buy a good navy suit.
The navy suit is considered a “classic” this means that it doesn’t go out of style and that as long as it is in good shape it can be worn on many different occasions and still make you look sharp. The navy suit can be combined with a variety of shirt and tie combinations to produce looks that range from sober and businesslike to casual or debonair.
Plus every suit store will carry them.
Your biggest obstacle typically will be to decide how many buttons it will have and how much it should cost.
Lets start with cost.
How much should you pay for a suit? Well as much as you can afford (and then perhaps a little bit more). With suits as with many things in life you get what you pay for and you should strive to buy quality. When you walk by those stores that have 3 for 1 sales on suits? Just keep walking. The material is usually a mix of wool and manmade fibers like polyester, Teflon etc. You should only buy a suit that is made from wool and the cheapest suits aren’t 100% wool. Thus they will have that shiny “cheap salesman” look.
At the other end of the spectrum you have the big name brands like Armani, Canali, Boss, Versace etc. These suits are typically very well made but also you pay a premium for the brand name. In fact some of the designer label suits cost more than it would for you to go to a local tailor and have a suit custom made!
If you are only buying your suit for special occasions you don’t need to break the bank. Strive for a good mid price suit and you should be fine. What price is mid price? Well in Canadian dollars between 400-800 is a good range. However if you are a savvy shopper you should be able to pick one up on sale or at a warehouse outlet.
A final note about the high-end brands – they typically tend to be less conservative or and have more fashionable detailing. This is fine but remember these companies depend on their looks going “out of style” so that you have to buy their latest products.
The main thing to remember when buying a suit is that a classic look or “cut” will look good for years and years and years. I have some suits that are 10 years old and still look good.
Lets talk about “cut”. This refers to how the suit drapes on your body and how the material fits around your waist. European cuts tend to taper so that they hug your waist more, which is fine for slimmer men with broad shoulders. Full cuts as the name implies would suit a fuller figured man (i.e. beer gut). In between you have what is called the American cut. This is the cut that fits the majority of the population. And typically it is what you should go with.
But just because you have selected the correct “cut” doesn’t mean your suit will look good. Most people you see wearing suits that look poor on them have not necessarily bought a cheap suit (although it might look like it) most of them have just not bothered to get proper alterations done. The worst offenders in this area are college guys who wear their dad’s suits to interviews. It just looks wrong.
As a rule I don’t like to shop at a store where I can’t get alterations done on site. When I walk into a store and they tell me they don’t do alterations I am usually already out the door before they get to finish their sentence.
Why? Because with a suit the devil is in the details. Little adjustments in things like the length of the sleeve or the waist of the pants can make a cheap suit look expensive and an expensive suit look cheap. Now a lot of stores will say “don’t worry there is a place in the mall that does good alterations you can go there”. The problem with that is that usually it is a place that does far more women’s apparel than men’s and you want someone who is working with suits 24-7. In most places the tailor will be about 80 years old and about four feet tall. Don’t worry this is normal.
When you decide on a suit you like the tailor will come and make marks on it with a piece of white chalk. He will then perform alterations on the suit. This usually takes about a week or so. Then you can come to get your suit.
Now the most important thing to do is to try the suit on again and be prepared to have a second round of alterations done if it doesn’t look or feel right. I sometimes have had to argue with my tailor or the sales person about the length of the pants. I feel that the trend is to have them waaaay too long. The crease should break when it hits the shoes but it shouldn’t look like you are a kid wearing your father’s suit. I am not going to go into big detail on things like crease break here because that kind of thing is really boring.
In fact I am starting to get bored myself. But I know there are a couple of other things I forgot to mention. Hmm while I think of them here are some other pointers:
When you get your suit it typically (if you shopped in a decent store) be given to you in a nice suit bag with a good hanger. You can’t hang your suit on a cheap wire hanger. It will not support the weight of the suit and someday you will come in to your closet and you suit will be in a rumpled mess on the floor.
Also only have your suit professionally dry-cleaned DON’T try to wash it in your washer. You will ruin it. If it is a little wrinkled when you take it out of the closet run a warm iron over it.
Oh yeah now I remember what I wanted to talk about. Buttons. Suits come in a few varieties. Double breasted, Single breasted and then two or three button (shown at right).
Stick with the single breasted if it is your only suit. The look is more classic whereas double breasted tends to come in and out of fashion. And buy a two button single breasted. There are a lot of three button suits out there right now but this is a relatively new trend in the suit world (less than 10 years). The three-button suit might go out of style soon and you will look hopelessly dated.
Single button (seen here) however will always look good. Next week: Interview underwear. Boxers? Briefs? Commando?
See Also: The Interview Shoe (endorsed by the Manolo!) and Casual Fridays
Kassie Defends Family From CIBC
As Toronto Judge Turns Up The Heat
This just in! Judge Jimmy Farley has ordered The Genuity Gang to hand over the personal computers of their wives and children!The forensic boys over at Zwaig Consulting have already taken data off of 84 Genuity computers, 2 servers and 29 BlackBerries. And CIBC's pit bulls still want more.
But, gang leaders David Kassie and Dan Daviau, have refused to give up the goods.
Thank You Daddy!
Can you imagine the relief their kids must be feeling?
Especially if they have been downloading material of a "personal" nature from the internet. Or keeping a tell-all diary.
Alan Lenczner, a lawyer hired by the
The KGBC
But, wait, there's more. "This is sort of a nasty dog fight." Judge Jimmy quipped, as he ordered the defendants' personal email providers - including Microsoft Hotmail - to preserve any relevant material for future copying.
(Holy cow! I didn't know we were living in Russia!)
Let me ask you, friends, 'What's next?' Deportation to Syria for a little conference with some "auditors"? Judge Jimmy, please!
Also, Now it's The Genuity Ten!
As of last Friday, the CIBC wants to add another shadowy figure to the list of defendants.
CIBC alleges that Charles "Chuckie" Lindner, a senior exec in its US brokerage, sent two months of trading records for CIBC's Boston clients to an email address on Jan. 5, 2005 -- and resigned from the bank later that day! He now works for Genuity. (Heh, heh.)
(Note: the CIBC World Markets division of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is suing (now) ten ex-employees for stealing people and information when they went to Genuity Capital Markets).
A Little On Lenczner
I love Alan Lenczner's web site. His picture's at the top of the page. And underneath it is written:
- A tour de force in both civil and administrative litigation, Mr. Lenczner's insights and skills are virtually unparalleled in the profession.
- He is one of Canada’s leading litigators... well-known for his expertise... His skills as an advocate have set precedents in almost every area of civil litigation. With his extraordinary experience in large and complex litigation matters, he regularly appears before courts and tribunals across the country.
Sources: Joey Schneider @ bloomberg.net and
Sinc Stewart, Globe & Mail
See Also: GenuityGang Strikes Back -- CIBC Recruiting Scandal -- David Kassie, Kingpin -- David Kassie's Dream -- Dan Daviau -- Earl Rotman -- Kassie Defiant -- Phil Evershed -- Hirst, Morrison, Eggertson -- Marie Cordero -- Bad 4 Recruiters -- Sweet Marie -- The Kassie Cult -- Kassie Honoured -- Hunkin's Millions -- BlackBerry Got 'Em -- Kassie Family Hunted -- Blackberry Mystery Solved -- The Genuity Revolution -- Technorati Tag: Genuity
Why Not Take A Manolo Break?
The Michael laughed his head off at this one. And this one. And this one too.. -- And so will you.
What Do Layoffs Mean?
Should you go to a company that has had major layoffs?
Here's Monty's take:
Layoffs create more negative than positive results. The reasons?
1. Layoff expenses are hard to estimate.
Restructuring charges are often higher than planned and require increased investment of execs time managing the layoffs.
2. Companies lay off the wrong people.
It's hard to figure out who is really expendable.
Managers often guess wrong and then have to figure out how to recreate lost expertise.
3. Layoffs make good staff recruitable.
Worried about the future, they are highly recruitable by predatory competitors.
Unless you increase their comp to get them to stay. And that costs you some of the projected savings from restructuring.
Layoffs are a bad sign.
They mean:
1. Management made bad decisions in the past
2. Demand for the company's products and services are declining
3. Revenues will be dropping
4. The company will lose some key personnel in the near future.
(OK, cut the girls some slack if layoffs are industry-wide, seasonal, or if a tornado wipes out customer demand).
From a very interesting business blog called Monty's Bluff.
Should you go to a company that has had major layoffs?
Here's Monty's take:
Layoffs create more negative than positive results. The reasons?
1. Layoff expenses are hard to estimate.
Restructuring charges are often higher than planned and require increased investment of execs time managing the layoffs.
2. Companies lay off the wrong people.
It's hard to figure out who is really expendable.
Managers often guess wrong and then have to figure out how to recreate lost expertise.
3. Layoffs make good staff recruitable.
Worried about the future, they are highly recruitable by predatory competitors.
Unless you increase their comp to get them to stay. And that costs you some of the projected savings from restructuring.
Layoffs are a bad sign.
They mean:
1. Management made bad decisions in the past
2. Demand for the company's products and services are declining
3. Revenues will be dropping
4. The company will lose some key personnel in the near future.
(OK, cut the girls some slack if layoffs are industry-wide, seasonal, or if a tornado wipes out customer demand).
From a very interesting business blog called Monty's Bluff.
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