The New Economy – Free Labour Pains

The global depression we’re in is seeing an increased in volunteering “positions” as companies find new ways – albeit borderline legal ones – of cutting costs.

Used to be, the only ones “working” for free were the interns, and to be in one those roles, you had to be enrolled in a recognized post-secondary program, or a co-op program through high school.

These days, I’m hearing horror stories of people with years of experience and education putting in full-time hours in the corporate world, yet they aren’t receiving any pay.

It’s questionable advice many career counsellors are giving to the unemployed and underemployed – instead of having gaps in their work histories on their resumes, it’s better to volunteer and show you were doing something.

Yeah, right.

Next time I go out for dinner, I’ll just offer to voluntarily enjoy the meal, so the restaurant doesn’t have any empty seats.

I’m sure that’ll go over well.

NOT!

But if you volunteer, you might have to do that, because how are you going to pay for food in your tummy, clothes on your back, and a roof over head?

Volunteering for a non-profit charitable organization is a good thing – for the community and those who take the time to make a difference in the lives they affect by doing some good.

But we’re talking about people volunteering at for profit companies – companies which are making money off of the backs of those so desperate for work, they are willing to work for free.

Despite the poor advice from some career counsellors, it’s really up to each company whether or not they accept volunteers or not.

Those that do – shame on you!

Exploitation of those misplaced during the worse depression since the 1930’s isn’t anything less than evil.

Evil.

Mega Evil.

Dr. Evil never would stoop so low –that we know of.

What’s worse, is these evil companies accepting volunteers while making a profit are in many cases, expecting their volunteers to work just like their paid staffers – putting in full-time hours, signing contracts which limit their outside activities during office hours, even going so far as to having their volunteers pay for their own background checks, prior to being “hired.”

But there’s no pay – and no hope of ever being paid.

If you’re working for free, why would they start paying you? They’ll just find another desperate person willing to do your work for nadda.

Yet that’s the hope driving many volunteers – that one day, their evil slave owners – for that’s what volunteering is when someone else is benefiting from your hard unpaid work – slavery – will see the value of their slave – I mean volunteer – and hire them on staff.

It’s the same dilemma many contractors go through – also victims of our global depression.

Contractors give it their all, hoping they will be offered a lucrative and stable staff job.

There are the occasional stories of volunteers and contractors being brought on-board into staff roles. But those are so few and far between, you can count them on less than one hand for the most part.

It just doesn’t make sound business sense – anyone willing to offer their services for less than they are worth are going to be raped for those services. That’s the unfortunate nature of our society.

Which is why the onus is on big business to lay down the law, and to have clearly defined policies and procedures which prohibit staff from using volunteers in established businesses.

Because people displaced by the global depression may not know any better.

So it’s up to business leaders to set the standard, to avoid exploitation, and creating a society where slavery is once again an acceptable form of work.

Hey You Millennials – Want to Be Taken Seriously? Wear a Tie

Last week, I attended a business workshop on revving up your business, and this week I’ve met with a handful of young adults interested in sharing their ideas, and growing their businesses.

Instantly upon meeting them I knew I’d be going away empty handed. Within seconds of meeting these individuals on separate occasions, I already felt that they just weren’t serious about their own success – so why entrust them with my success?

How’d I know this so fast?

None were dressed for success.

Hey, don’t get me wrong – I have my favourite pair of torn and worn blue jeans, soft and cuddly warm fleece hoodies, and occasionally on weekends I’ve been known to skip shaving, and maybe not even comb my hair.

But when meeting someone for business or professional purposes, unless you’re a well known rock star and already have a bank account bigger than mine, you’d better be wearing a tie.

Okay, a tie is a bit over the top in this modern era of corporate casual dress.

But ripped blue jeans, tattered T-shirts, and uncontrolled body hair are just too relaxed for making that all important first impression.

Even when I do conference calls from the comfort of my home, I dress professionally – and I don’t have a video phone.

I find I’m in more of a professional mindset when I dress like a professional, so I can ask the tough questions and figure out pretty quickly if you’re worth my time – or not.

Maybe that’s my secret advantage – just dressing for success. Perhaps those still in their pyjamas are more ready for bed, than talking business, so when the tough questions need to be answered, they yawn away any attempts of winning me over?

That’s great if I’m negotiating a better price – but really sucks for them because they just got taken to the cleaners.

What’s worse – for us both – is we feel our time was wasted, because my bias is to not take anyone seriously if they themselves don’t take themselves seriously.

And the easiest way to show me how seriously you need and want my business, is really very simple – dress professionally.

So listen up you millennials – I know who you are – sitting there in your parent’s basement, sipping on your diet caffeine free flavourless colas, wearing torn jeans that are three-sizes too large and your favourite Justin Bieber or Katy Perry T-shirt – drop the useless cola, put on some decent clothes, and dress like you know a thing or two about being a professional.

And then, I’ll treat you like one.

End of story.

Job Hunting 101 – Don’t Be Like This Guy

As I build an on-demand digital media company from scratch, I see many cover letters and resumes.

From kids right out of school looking for their first big break, to veterans of the working world, victims of the worst depression since the 1930’s.

It’s the latter that need to take note, because although we all know it’s tougher out there than ever before, showing your frustration and bitterness doesn’t improve your chances any:

“If this application finds its way to an employment agency, please disregard it. I’m tired of working on contract-to-perm – if they were truly contract-to-perm roles, I wouldn’t have to keep looking for work now would I?”

That’s an actual quote from a cover letter I received just the other day. Snarky sarcasm sure got my attention, but not in a good way.

Yes, our government has dropped the ball in letting companies outsource their workforces to such a deep degree that it’s exceedingly rare to find a secure, stable full-time staff job these days. And this unstable workforce just makes the economy even more uncertain, as those with unstable contract work don’t make the big ticket purchases which fuel the economy.

Governments need to put legislation in place to fix our broken economy – and they need to take a tough stand on the over use of contracted out consultants, and outsourcing to other nations, if that legislation is going to have any real impact.

However, complaining about it in a cover letter just sounded like sour grapes, screams attitude problem, and caused me to do what most employers probably would – instantly put that resume into the recycling bin.

Another example of what NOT to do if you want to get the jobs you are applying to:

“I’ve been a consultant not by choice, that’s all I can find. So if this is a contract of any kind, I’m just not interested.”

Neither am I interested – even though I’m looking to bring aboard full-time permanent people. If you actually spell out the limits of your employment in a cover letter or resume, you’ll probably be waiting forever for the phone to ring.

I certainly won’t be calling that person any time soon.

Despite all the doom and gloom echoed in many of the cover letters and resumes I see, occasionally I get one that makes me smile.

One of the keys to getting a job is standing out from all the other resumes, and one person recently caught my eye.

"Please check my resume and job hunting campaign below:

huntfredd.com

There is a $10,000 placement reward." 

If you follow the link, you are taken to a bright and welcoming website, with a cute video about this person calling himself Fredd Basser, who’s tired of being told he’s overqualified, so he’s offering a reward for anyone that finds him a job. He’s hoping to create a social media campaign that becomes so popular, it lands him work, and he’s offering money as an incentive to push that campaign forward.

Clever solution to a real problem in today’s economy, people with extensive experience unable to find work.

I haven’t talked to this person, but I hope he finds work – his idea is innovative and positive.

And we all need to remain positive in this horrible economy.

Investing Is Easy, Getting Investors Isn’t

With the success of entrepreneur investment shows Shark Tank and Dragon’s Den, you’d think if you came up with a great idea, getting someone to back that great idea would be easy.

Think again.

These are tough times. Millions of people have been displaced in this economy than ever before – even the Great Depression of the 1930’s wasn’t so bad.

Which makes me wonder why the bean counters that track our economy STILL refuse to call this period in economic time what it really is – a depression – but that’s another story.

I’m in the process of raising funds for what will be the next big thing. We know it will be the next big thing, because we’ve based it on the successes of other companies, combined those successful elements, and created something which no one is doing here.

We’ve got a sound business plan, lots of additional documentation, and we’re in the process of forming our teams, of handpicked people to lead us to success.

When I mention in passing what it is I do, people perk up, and immediately show interest.

When I go to potential investors, they to show immediate interest, but when it comes to putting their money where their mouth is, they suddenly become very quiet and defensive.

Or worse, they try to sell me on their investment ideas, so that I become the investor.

Like my bank – or now former bank.

A great way to lose a client is to say “no.”

A sure way to lose a client, is to continue to try to sell them on a product or service, without actually HEARING them and their needs.

My bank, BMO Bank of Montreal, kept trying to sign me up for a business account, without any inclination of whether they would even consider providing a business loan, or business line of credit. They wanted to hook me by the nose, by getting me to sign on for a business account product AND THEN they’d talk about business loans and lines of credit.

I don’t want to start a business account until I know the bank is fully behind me, or at the very least, has the best business products suited for my business.

And I felt like I was in a used car dealership, as the young Asian kid, with horrible English, continued to ask me to sign up for a business account, completely ignoring my needs for start-up funding.

Small Business Banker for GTA Central – or at least that’s what it says on her business card – didn’t even have current literature I could review with her on current business banking information. When I initially if she had any information, she pointed me to the website – which although useful, wasn’t why I took the time to come in and meet with my branch.

Upon my telling her directly that she wasn’t very helpful, she got up and brought me BMO Bank of Montreal’s Better Business Banking Guide, which was dated 2011 and already had pen markings from others she had tried her sales pitch on.

And again, although we’re looking for the best financial institution to deal with, we’re looking for more than just a place to invest our business dollars.

We’re looking for a place which provides the financial support services which a business needs, not just an account number to make some banker earn her commission.

Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I believe in building relationships, and working with people to achieve great things. I don’t believe in just buying a product or service from just anyone, and hoping for the best.

BMO Bank of Montreal lost my business, because they failed to listen to my needs. I got a pre-rehearsed sales pitch, instead of someone actually hearing what I was looking for.

Ironically, I went next door to the neighbouring Bank of Nova Scotia, and immediately met with the Branch Manager, who actually listened to my needs, and provided some real information which I could use.

Maybe they’ll earn my respect – and my business.

Which is a great loss to BMO Bank of Montreal, because we will be huge. 

Should Criminals Host TV Shows?

Criminal record checks have become all too common as part of the hiring process. Employers want to know that you won’t steal their pencils.

But in some jobs, a criminal record check really does prevent problems for both employer and employee down the road.

Last thing a major television network wants, is to have it’s top rated morning show host taken away in handcuffs.

But if you’ve done the time for your crime, should you be allowed on television?

Television’s perfect home body, Martha Stewart is back on the TV, after doing time for securities fraud.

In Canada, media baron Conrad Black may be following the home body’s lead, as there is talk that he may get his own talk show on a cable channel available across the nation.

Conrad Black served time for fraud as well, just a different kind. His was to do with his newspaper empire, and made headlines in some of those papers, as he continued to write columns while in prison.

Now he may be on the airwaves, broadcasting his thoughts on television.

Which raises the question – should convicted criminals be hosting television shows?

We all make mistakes, and both Stewart and Black have paid for those mistakes by serving out their criminal sentences in prison.

But millions of people are denied even the most entry level of jobs, because of their criminal past.

Such as the teenage mom, that can’t get a job working in a retail store, because her criminal background check shows she was charged with theft. What it doesn’t show is she stole a loaf of bread to feed her kid.

There are other reasons why criminals don’t usually get put on the tube. The last thing any network president wants, is to turn on his station, to see someone telling the world how to break the law.

It’s unlikely Black or Stewart would publicly tell others to do something illegal. But the possibility is always there.

And our television personalities are role models for us all. We get hooked on their energy and drive, and often mimic them.

So putting criminals on television is bad for our kids, and ourselves.

Do we want others to follow Lance Armstrong?

Before the cyclist came forward with confessions of “doping” while competing he was a role model to many.

Now that he’s come out and spoken publicly about his drug-laden past, he’s on television even more – explaining himself and what he did.

Fair enough, television does provide a forum for public debate, and all sides should be allowed to participate.

But if someone were to offer Armstrong his own television show, I’d question that person’s motives.

And you should too.

Welcome 2013 – We’ve Been Waiting

Happy New Year to our regular readers, fans, friends and followers.

May the New Year bring personal and professional prosperity, growth, and happiness – and may the lessons learned in the previous year carry you through the challenges of the new one.

Technology is an amazing thing – already there is a Wikipedia entry on 2012 – and yet it is just seconds into 2013 as of this posting.

However, for many of us, 2012 couldn't end soon enough.

It was a year of economic, personal and professional tragedies of global proportions due to a failing economic system, and political and business ideals and values which are out of touch with reality in our ever shrinking global economy.

Let’s work together to make 2013 a change for the better.

Happy New Year!

Good-Bye 2012 – You Were Quite the Year

As the end of one year ends, and another begins, many of us reflect on the past, as we look towards the future.

For me, 2012 was a challenging, trying and at times epic year of life altering experiences.

As our economy continues to teeter on the brink of collapse, and business and political leaders continue to apply outdated, old school, band-aid solutions in a rush to keep us all from falling over the fiscal cliff, it’s time for us to re-think our world, and our way of living in it.

The fiscal cliff isn't just an American catchphrase for economic pot holes – it’s a good way of describing the new economy of an ever more frightening world in which to live.

Major corporations, once the cornerstone for economic prosperity and security in most of the world are no longer that stable or secure employer they once were.

One used to graduate from high school, get an entry level gig at one of these big major corporations, such as General Motors, General Electric, IBM, Proctor & Gamble, American Express, even McDonald’s, and over time, work one’s way to the top.

Not anymore.

A job for life at a big American company, with benefits, and regular salary increases to keep pace with the cost of living isn't the American Dream – it’s just a dream.

Although the economy is growing globally, it’s actually shrinking in the process. Companies may offer their products and services all over the world now, but few of them are hiring people at decent wages with quality benefits anymore.

Gone are the days when you could get a job where your employer actually gave a damn about your quality of life. All they care about is their own bottom line – regardless of the fact that a staff constantly worried about paying their bills, doesn't do their jobs as effectively.

When I worked at one of the largest financial institutions – one of the top five banks in Canada – I saw just how employee loyalty does not go both ways.

My team’s Project Manager had been with the bank for over 35 years – for some that is a lifetime. She was exceptional at what she did, I considered myself very lucky to have her on my team. At the end of a bank-wide project, her boss told her that her services were no longer required, and they’d give her six-months to find another role within the bank, and then they’d just give her a severance package and send her on her way.

This was the way the bank forced people that cost too much out. Obviously my Project Manager wasn't going to find another role at the same pay scale she was used to – when have you ever seen a job posting requiring 35 years of experience?

And even if she bit the bullet, and was willing to accept a lower pay just to keep a job for a thankless employer, hiring managers would look down at her, and wonder how loyal she would remain, doing the same thing for a fraction of what she previously was being paid.

This was how one of the largest banks in Canada, retired my team’s Project Manager. And its how many big businesses force long-term employees to retire.

Loyalty.

That’s a tricky word in today’s business world.

Used to be if you worked hard, went the extra mile to impress your boss, then over time, you’d get promoted, not retired.

I've known many people that had dedicated most of their adult lives to one big corporate employer, only in the end to be let go, simply because they got promoted too often and became too expensive to keep.

2012 was the year that I learned the hard way just how hard work, dedication and loyalty to your employer doesn't matter. In the end, you really are just a dollar figure to your boss.

The bean counters think it’s only a matter of dollars to replace someone with years of experience, contacts, and know-how with a recent college graduate.

And that’s why our economy is really falling apart. Studies show wages continue to fall, while the costs of living continue to rise.

Especially as our population ages, and more of those long-term, dedicated and loyal employees find themselves dumped by their disloyal employers.

The new kids they replace long-term employees with don’t make enough to make major purchases to keep the wheels of the economy moving.

How many twenty-something’s do you know have their own mortgage?

In order to get over the fiscal cliff, big businesses need to get over their fear of paying people what they are worth. They need to stop seeing their staff as numerical figures on a balance sheet, and start seeing them for what they really are.

The very same people that keep the economy moving – earning a decent living, and spending that living – well – living. 

Has Our Digital World Destroyed the Next Generation?

As I grow my new business, I’m talking to all sorts of folks who are looking for work, and want to join my fledgling new venture.

But I’m noticing a disturbing trend with many of the young adults I’m talking too – sort of a lacklustre aloofness. It’s as if they are just floating through life, without a care in the world.

I’m not unsympathetic, when I was in my early twenties I was still very much discovering myself. 

But at least I was trying different things, taking on the adventures the world tossed my way openly, as I feasted on all the new things I was learning about the world around me, and myself.

But kids today seem to lack that sense of self-exploration which my generation had. They are too tied to their mobile devices, their tech toys, and their small circles of close friends which are also tied to their mobile tech toys.

Has our digital world destroyed the next generation?

Are kids today so enveloped in technology, they have forgotten the world around them?

I’m building an on-demand television network, so when someone tells me they've always wanted to be on television, shoot a camera, edit a video, or just work within a television production, and I ask them why, I expect a long-winded answer.

Usually when someone is really interested in something, you can’t shut them up. If someone asks you about something you are passionate about, you should be able to go on, and on, and on – like the Energizer Bunny. 

But when I ask young adults why they've always wanted to be a TV reporter, host, producer or any other role we have, I usually get a deadpan answer more fitting for someone about to have a root canal than talk about their life-long dream.

When I ask them what they watch, read or listen to for inspiration in their self-admitted life-long dream, they usually tell me they don’t watch, read or listen to anything of the sort.

Even before I did my graduate work in broadcast journalism, while I was doing my undergraduate degree in a completely different field, I watched every major newscast, listened to various radio news shows, read all the daily papers, numerous magazines, and biographies of all the big name reporters, news anchors, publishers and producers.

If someone asked me why I wanted to be a journalist, I’d light up like a tree at Christmas, talking up a storm about the business which fuelled the fire of my soul.

These days, the only thing apparently igniting the souls of our future generations are their tech toys.

They are nose-deep buried in their mobile devices, texting tweeting and updating their social networks.

Although to a degree, I’m also buried in my mobile tech toys, I still have a passion, an interest – hell – a life – outside and away from my digital world.

Although I’m starting a digital media company, I know there is more to it than just being immersed in the digital world – as with any technology-based company.

No matter how dependent upon technology we all become, end of the day, it’s not iPhones, BlackBerry phones, laptops or tablets which make the world work – it’s people.

There’s an old saying, that those who are exceptionally good at what they do, have a real passion for what they do. They don’t just go to work, they go to play.

I've always believed in that – and hoped my passion for my work shone through in my work’s quality.

However, I’m concerned that future generations are so digitally distracted, they lack any passion for what they do.

Not just because the quality of their work suffers, but ultimately their lives suffer too.

How a Union Killed the Twinkie

Unionized labour in North America is strong. Too strong. So strong it’s putting the very employees its supposed to protect in harms way.

Thanks to the unions at Twinkie maker, Hostess, the American giant in the junk food industry is closing it’s doors – forever – putting the company’s employees out of work.

Hostess, founded as Interstate Bakeries Limited in 1930, is one of the largest bakeries in North America, baking up Wonder Bread, Twinkies, Ho-Hos, Ding-Dongs, Dolly Madison, and other well known baked goods.

Now these products may disappear off of store shelves, as the company was forced into Chapter 11 Bankruptcy today, because of an on-going dispute with the Bakery, Confectionery  Tobacco Workers and Grain Miller’s International Union (a Teamster’s Union) and company management.

The union represents most of the 6,600 Hostess employees, and was supposed to ultimately protect those employees from job loss.

However, as with all disputes involving terrorists, common sense doesn't prevail. And unions do act more like terrorist organizations of late, instead of collective bargaining units.

We've seen this with the auto industry and their unions. The world’s largest automaker, General Motors was almost put out of business because the unions kept insisting the employees deserve more money to build cars. If federal governments in Canada and the United States didn’t provide bail-out funding to General Motors, to offset the outrageous demands of the terrorists – we mean the union – then the world’s largest automaker would be no more, and thousands of people would be out of work.

Granted, the union movement grew out of a real need to protect employees from unsafe and even inhumane working conditions.

Early in the 1900’s, at the start of the industrial revolution, as companies grew richer, their power-hungry owners began making uncivilized demands on their staffs. From forcing them to work overtime without paying for that overtime, to providing unrealistic deadlines, even limiting the amount of bathroom breaks employees could take throughout the day.

Labour unions originally solved many of these problems in unionized shops around the world. 

Although in a consistently declining North American economy, many non-unionized office jobs are starting to revert back to the dark ages, as many crazy bosses are restricting employee bathroom and lunch breaks today.

Getting a job at a union shop meant getting a decent paying gig, with an employer that treated you right. The labour movement had succeeded in making these workplaces safe and secure.

However, now that the workplace was safe and secure, what could unions do? What role did a union have in the company?

It should be to advocate on behalf of employees, and ensure that the safe and secure workplace continues. And labour unions did this, but they took it upon themselves to push for constant increases in benefits, pay, and job security.

Job security always has – and always will be – a false notion which was conjured up by the labour movement.

No one’s job is any more or less secure – as we've seen with Hostess today. If a company can’t fiscally function any more, it doesn't matter what a bunch of thugs in the labour union say or do, once the company goes out of business, usually that means the jobs which were supposed to be secure forever, just don’t exist anymore.

Union battles to increase benefits and pay constantly over time drive away the potential for this fictitious notion of job security – which ironically they themselves created. The more benefits afforded employees, the greater the cost to the employer. The more pay given to workers, the greater cost to the employer.

Not that employees don’t deserve better pay and benefits – we all want to work for someone that cares enough about their staffs to pay them well, and treat them well.

But labour unions fight tooth and nail to secure more pay and benefits for the employees they represent, despite constant claims from companies that they can’t afford it, putting the company in danger.

Unions always claim the companies aren't telling the whole story, and say they don’t have the money for increased benefits and pay as a tactic to avoid doing it. They threaten to walk out and go on strike, which means the company can’t produce what it makes, and loses even more money.

So companies gave in to these outrageous demands – just like law enforcement has had to do with terrorists in some situations.

Eventually, if the business turns around, and the company starts to make more, it survives, and can absorb the outrageous costs the unions place on it’s operating budgets. OR, as we've seen today, things don’t get better for the company, and it’s forced out of business, because of increased operating costs – often brought about by the union.

Unions were once needed, to bring about better working conditions, which they did do. Then they got greedy, and today they are forcing companies to shut their doors, like Twinkie giant Hostess.

So, say good-bye to your Twinkies, thanks to the union.

When You Start a Business, Everyone’ an Ideas Person

I’m starting the next big thing in digital media. We’re going to be grand. We've got a great product and service, which is just starting to become in high demand. The demand is growing, as mobile devices grow in popularity and functionality.

And I have the know-how to make it work.

We’re going to be mega-huge with a capital MEGA. I know from the reactions of those I talk to when I’m asked by strangers: “so, what do you do?

When I go to business or social functions and tell people what I’m doing, their eyes light up, all excited, as they ramble off ideas for my business to engage in.

Some of the ideas are pretty darn good. I take notes. I do – thanks to my iPhone.

Brain storming good ideas for products and services isn't hard. Even those who say they haven’t a creative bone in their bodies can come up with the most imaginative concepts.

I've got so many wonderful ideas, we’ll be good for several generations.

What I need as I start my business is good old fashioned money.

Money makes the world go ‘round, and it is the foundation for the success or failure of any business concept.

Problem is, when I ask people how they’d fund their idea, they tell me that’s my problem.

Gee – thanks!

Give me a great idea, tell me you want to be part of the next big thing, yet when I ask you how to make it happen, you tell me you don’t know?

Why don’t you tell me something I haven’t heard – like ever!??!

Every time, I ask if they have a funding formula, or idea for how to generate income on their idea, they tell me, that’s my job – they’re just the “ideas person.”

If we were all ideas persons – or for the grammatically correct – people – then nothing would ever get done.

Coke a Cola, McDonald’s, even your favourite mom and pop cafe would never exist, because although all were great ideas, money makes things happen – or not happen.

At business and social functions, I just laugh it off when I’m told money is my problem. The voice in my head though is yelling and screaming at the ideas person though.

And because –so far – no one but me can hear the voices in my head, I’m guessing it’s correct.

The voice in my head is yelling about how idiotic, stupid, dumb and some things I can’t repeat in a public, family-friendly environment, the ideas person is.

Creativity is an amazing talent.

Implementing that creativity is an even more amazing talent, because it makes it real.

And in anything in life, from business, to personal, to social worlds, making it real is the bottom line.

Apply to Keep from Burning Yet You’ll Catch Fire!

Over the weekend, sunscreen giant Banana Boat announced a recall of one of their popular sunscreen lotions because of the risk of fire.

You read that right – fire!

According to Banana Boat, the lotion in question doesn't dry fast enough, and if exposed to extreme heat, there is the risk of it – and the person wearing the sunscreen – of catching fire.

As of this writing, one person was seriously burned after the Banana Boat sunscreen he was wearing erupted into flames, after he applied the lotion, and then began to BBQ.

What a world to live in, where even the potions, lotions and creams we apply on a regular basis can ignite and cause serious injury.

The greater irony of a sunscreen, which is supposed to prevent you from burning your skin, that can actually cause third-degree burns is humours in a sense.

But the real issue here is quality control.

It wasn’t all that long ago, when quality products and services actually existed. The old adage was almost always true – you get what you pay for. However, even the lowest priced items were safe, and usually did the job.

These days, even when you spend money on what you think is a quality, brand name product, you take your chances, as corporations have cut corners to the point where you really just don’t know.

You really just don’t know if that juicy thick steak you’re about to bite into is going to give you food poisoning. You really just don’t know if the breaks in your car will keep you from rear-ending the guy in front. You really don’t know if the sunscreen you applied will keep your skin from burning – or in the case of Banana Boat’s recall – catching fire.

I miss the old days – which weren't that old and long ago – when you didn't have to second guess anything, because you really did know that the products sold on store shelves were at the very least, safe.

Big, greedy corporations – and small and medium sized ones too – are the primary offenders here, as they overlook obvious safety concerns to save a buck. But the ultimate scapegoat is our politicians for cutting back on government employees paid to look in and enforce the laws, which were originally put in place to keep us safe.

As governments cut costs and lay off enforcement officers in all sectors, or cut salaries to these support staffs as they often raise their own wages, we end up with zero to no quality controls in place, as big business doesn't see the need to obey the rules.

And as businesses continue to let quality controls go, we all suffer, as the goods and services we purchase which may actually cause us harm increase, yet the penalties for allowing these dangerous products in the marketplace decreases.

So we as a society become increasingly cynical, yet accepting of shoddy products and questionable services.

It’s a recipe for disaster as the longer companies are allowed to get away with inferior products, the greater the risk to us all.

Halloween is Hard – Even for Adults

Earlier this week, I posted a request for help on Twitter, as I try to figure out what to wear for Halloween – which is less than two weeks away.

NO! I’m not going trick or treating! I’m going to a Halloween party being held by my social meetup group. Although costumes are optional, it’s more fun if you dress up.

And how often do you really get to go out dressed as your favourite television character, movie star, or some evil demon, war lord or other fictional creature?

That’s part of the problem – or rather is the problem. There are so many possibilities, how does one choose?

I got some interesting responses to my Twitter request via posts and direct messages, including dressing up as a munk, Dracula, a 1970’s porn star, even a Smurf.

You can get costume ideas from junk mail too. Saw a flyer the other day for a major Canadian retailer, which had – of all things – a Ketchup packet costume. Not a whole bottle of the tomato-based condiment, nope – just a plastic packet.

Who’d want to dress up as a topping best served on greasy fries and burgers?

I’m struggling figuring out what to wear, but I’m not ridiculous.

Though I suppose that too makes part of the decision – a Halloween costume is a glimpse into a person’s personality, character as it is a visual representation of one’s imagination.

In a sense, you have to be brave to go incognito, because although you’re in costume, you’re showing off often unseen elements of who you are.

Though sometimes you can be too daring – or plain dumb. A few years ago I was working for a major Canadian bank, and woman who brought the sandwich cart every day dressed in practically nothing. To this day, I still haven’t a clue what she was supposed to be – I asked her, and she answered, but I was so astonished and distracted I didn't hear her.

After she had left our team’s area, I asked a fellow colleague what he thought of her costume. He said, it says she’s a young, beautiful, single, woman.

Yes, she was stunningly beautiful, but so very inappropriately dressed for the office. To me, it explained why she’ll be the sandwich lady forever.

Funny, I remember that Halloween story every time I start yacking about Halloween. And it would be nice to be memorable.

Maybe I should dress up as the sandwich lady for my Halloween party?

Then again, maybe not.

Is Social Networking Becoming Less Social?

Okay, I admit it, I’ve used social networking for shameless self promotion. Many of us have – but is that all that social networking has become?

People peddling their products, services, and pats on the back in tweets, blogs, photos, videos and other postings online?

Doesn’t seem all that social does it?

I remember a time, not long ago, when a social function involved going out to hang with real people in the real world. We’d gather at a friend’s place, a local restaurant or pub, or maybe some special event like a movie, festival, or club, and then spend a few hours enjoying each other’s company.

Then the social networking buzz began – where you could catch up with long lost friends, classmates and colleagues from anywhere around the world, at anytime.

At the time, seemed like a great idea – who doesn’t want to see if the high school bully went grey, put on weight, and lives in a trailer park?

Turns out a lot of people liked the idea of re-connecting with others over the web, as social networking spread like chipmunks following a trail of walnuts.

Even better, social networking connected complete strangers with similar interests together. No longer need you hide in your dimly lit basement to assemble your belly button lint collection – now you weirdos too can find solace in the comfort of knowing you’re not alone in the universe.

Social networking became a normal part of everyday life, as we discovered its power of connecting us all. From finding the perfect mate via online dating, to just having someone to talk to when you can’t sleep at night, to allowing us to vent about poor service for the world to see – social networking gave us something we’ve never had before – a place to speak our minds.

But lately, if you browse the latest trending topics on social networking, they almost always are cluttered with tips and tricks on marketing and promoting yourself, your products or your services.

Using social networks to promote ourselves isn’t a bad thing – we’ve probably all done that at some point. 

However, when the social networks primarily become promotion machines, they lose the essence of social, and the level of engagement decreases substantially.

Or at least it does for me – and I’m guessing it most likely does for you too.

Every day I go through my new followers, to see who’s added me, and whether or not I should return the favor. I see everything from nicknames, real names, to business names.

Usually when I see a business following me, I get a knot in my tummy, as I decide whether or not to add ‘em. 

As with all those I choose to follow back, I check out their most recent posts first, to get a handle on their handle.

Many business often use the social networks to promote their products and services – that’s a given. But increasingly many individuals with regular sounding names or nick names are too.

Thinking back to the old days when socializing meant just chillin’ with friends, occasionally business was discussed. But usually these conversations were quick, and more general than hard core sales pitches to get you to buy.

But these days, sometimes the second I add someone, I get an automated message back from them telling me about some promotion, or special offer they have just for me.

I feel cheated, because I added them to connect on a social level – not to be sold.

I wonder whether or not it was wise to add them, and often unfollow them almost right away – and that’s not all that social either.

So I ask again – have social networks lost their social aspects?

Is Your HR Dept Damaging Your Company’s Credibility?

Who’s the face of your business?

Think about that for a sec . . . most would quickly answer the receptionist, customer service representatives, sales representatives or other customer-facing staff.

Although people in those roles do interact with your customers first, what about everyone else?

For most companies, anyone who isn’t a customer is – rightly or wrongly – directed to human resources.

And – rightly or wrongly – most human resources departments are ill equipped to handle first-contact situations.

They usually brush people off, tell you they’ll get back to you (and never do) or worse, they build people up, only to suddenly drop off the face of the Earth.

Can’t blame them entirely – the global economic meltdown has meant there are more people looking for work, than there is work. So human resources departments often bear the brunt of frustrated job seekers.

However, when human resources talks to someone – especially when they’ve reached out to a potential employee – the stakes are higher than they think. Regardless of whether or not the potential employee joins the company, in this day of social networking and instant, always on communications, all it takes is one bad experience and a company’s reputation will suffer.

There’s even a website where current, past and potential employees can go to rant and rave about their experiences – Glass Door. These days, it’s not only the potential employer researching prospective employees prior to contacting them -- potential employees can do a lot of background research ahead of time too.

One bad review from someone with sour grapes about not getting their dream job probably won’t harm a business’s bottom line. But several could mean the end of quality qualified candidates applying for the positions needed to keep the business running.

And remember – once something is posted online, it’s usually there forever. In today’s digital world, no matter what you do to correct problems in the past, you’ll never fully recover from a really bad “rap sheet.” The key then is always providing exceptional first contact experiences with everyone – customers and job seekers – to avoid getting into trouble later.

So what can human resources do?

Here are five tips to keep those very precious first contact situations from showing up as negative feedback online:

1. Avoid those auto-responder emails – no one likes talking to a robot. Remember the last time your cable or phone went out, and you called the company only to have to go through a plethora of menu options just to talk to a live person? Didn’t like it uh? That’s how people feel when they receive automated replies – only worse, they have no means to reach a real living, breathing person.
2. If a potential candidate is very qualified, but mentions one or two things that you know just won’t fly, don’t call them to discuss. I had this situation where I was recruiting people for a contract role, and the person clearly stated on their resume they were looking for a permanent staff gig. Still, for whatever bizarre reason, the HR person I was working with called this person, and tried to convince her that taking the contract would be a great career move. Needless to say, this person was not amused, and both her and HR person that made this error just got into an argument about the role of contracts, and how they are the reason there aren’t any “good” jobs anymore. If a candidate clearly states something on their resume, but you’re looking for the opposite, don’t try to twist their arm.
3. Don’t call someone up expecting them to drop everything for you right now. I get approached by recruiters all the time, and they always have a long list of questions. Most ask if now is a good time to talk, some don’t. Instead, they start firing away question after question, expecting me to take the 15-20 minutes or more necessary to answer them, even though I most likely was in the middle of something else. We all lead busy lives. Asking when a good time to talk, or even better, booking a time with them that is mutually agreed to, will make you shine in their good graces.
4. If you make an appointment, in person or over the phone – don’t be late, and don’t break it. When I was younger, fresh out of university, an HR person called me 25-minutes late, and I answered. Now if someone – even a friend – doesn’t call or show up within 15-minutes, I leave and go about my own business. I call it the 15-minute rule – I’m always early or on time, because I value and respect other people’s busy lives. Anyone who doesn’t value or respect my time, is not worth my time.
5. Don’t get people’s hopes up. Anything can happen during the recruitment process, so don’t go on and tell someone they are the top person on the list. I was working at a company notorious for nepotism. We were interviewing for a developer, and had a final list of candidates lined up which we were starting to schedule interviews with. Next day, I see a resume on my chair – it’s the vice-president’s kid. Not the most qualified candidate, but we knew none of our shortlisted candidates mattered anymore, as the vice-present’s kid became our only candidate. A member of my team had mentioned to one of the shortlisted candidates he was our top pick. I had to diffuse an already bad situation, when he angrily called asking why he didn’t get the job. Way I see it, nothing is done until the ink is dry – and even then I’d wait a bit before considering all things final.

One last bit of advice which we’ve all heard before – treat others as you want to be treated. All is fair in love and war, until someone steps on your foot and doesn’t say “sorry,” then the gloves are off. So if you do make a mistake, forget to call someone, or do anything else on this list, admit your mistake, apologize, and you’ll keep your employer from getting slammed in the digital world.