Has KFC lost its mind?

So KFC puts out a coupon for a free meal - on Oprah even. Then it changes its mind. Of yes, you can drive to a KFC, hand in the coupon and they will mail you another one. Clearly misredemption has been a problem, but they ask you to spend time and money on gas to effectively trade in the original coupon for a new one. Frankly, it seems to be a poorly thought out promotion in the first place, and en even more harmful solution. I would have expected better from KFC.

Making Introductions Effective

Whether in doing business, making friends, or finding a job, introductions are the lifeblood of social commerce. Some people take short-cuts so much that they are virtually ineffective, or even harmful. Some of the key guidelines for making introductions are:

• Understand each person well enough to determine who they would most benefit from meeting. Don't expect them to tell you - they don't know whom you know.
• Make the introductions "win-win." Try to make sure that each can get something from it.
• Make "warm" introductions. Do not simply ask one party to contact a second using your name, but introduce them - whether in person, on the phone, or by email. You only win if the introduction is successful.
  
• If using LinkedIn, use the phone as well to determine what is the best way to introduce - some people respond better to phone than email, or email better than to LinkedIn.
• Follow up. Was the introduction successful? Was one party difficult, rude or simply unresponsive?
  

JobSerf Index shows jobs posted in March down 65.2% since year ago

The job search service, JobSerf, has been tracking online postings monthly since January 2008. The index started to fall early last year, a fall which accelerated in July. The fall continues, but early indications are that April could be the first month in a while which shows any improvement. While only about 10% of executive jobs are filled through online postings, this is an indicator. It means that since more people have been chasing fewer jobs, it has been much more difficult to get hired. If this changes, both job-seekers and employers need to be ready.

Recruiters become career coaches

As the demand for headhunters has dropped precipitously, many have no work. However, the supply of job hunters has climbed as fast. So many recruiters are now focusing on job search advice for a fee. It seems that the ratecard price is around 250-500 per hour. However, most spend a lot of time giving out free advice as part of their business development efforts.

People who will not learn

I speak at many conferences. I see a real difference between the attitudes I encounter. The psychographics of each conference are different. All too often I see people who are convinced that they have nothing to learn from anyone else. They will ask for introductions, but never for other help. I see that these people succeed at a far lower rate, but they rarely change. I suspect that most people acquire this attitude at a very early age and rarely change.

Vocational Training vs. Education

There has always been conflict between those who favor vocational training and those who favor broader education. The old apprenticeship focused on vocational training. The apprentice learned how to do a job. While it may not have mattered hundreds of years ago when technology changed slowly, it matters more now when information and skills become obsolete. So it may be more important to "learn how to learn" - a purpose of education. Quite a few years ago, when I was studying Engineering, we calculated that we needed to spend 20% of our time keeping up to date, based on the half-life of knowledge at the time. Most people who go only through vocational training do not realize that so much time has to be spent on continuous learning. As a result. I do favor general education over vocational training. Give me an applied scientist over a technologist any day!