McDonalds a.k.a. McDumb when it comes to wages

Yes, while translating for the longest only even I find some little time to blow my mind about HR issues from all over the world. Not as regular as Ralf and Jannis but every last and 15th of the month you will be reading from me.

Now plenty of bloggers, newspapers, radios even TV broadcasted their opinion on the recent McDonald's Faux-Pas. Or let me say it like this, I hope the one that calculated the wage-example will never behind the cash register - I don't wanna count my money in control they got or get it right.

Here is the thing I am talking bout and you have probably seen and shaken your head about a couple of times already:

As International Business Times already stated nicely in their article, the whole plan is unlivable, or as I would say ridiculous! It expects you to have a second job, get Healthcare by $20 a month (LOL) and rent for $600 - U.S. nationwide. Now I remember seeing apartments for a minimum of $650 when I lived in FL, but what about NY? It wouldn't even get you ONE room in an apartment with the average rent in NY being by $3,000. Well, unless you wanna live in the wall closet...with 3 more folks. Ridiculous! Also, having a car, but obviously no need to get gas for it to run in the first place must be the highly futuristic imagination by the responsible persons for inventing and approving this plan to be published. Oh yes, before I forget, forget about heating. So poor McDonald's workers working at this minimum wage to live of, you might have to consider investing in sweaters, lots of sweaters.

For the fun of watching, I think Stephen Colbert's Show satired it nicely:

Sadly, although being a clown, Ronald meant it not to be a joke.
Wow, just wow.

NT

Shit on security! - We want self-realization and perspective!

Translation from Ralf Junge's blog entry: Scheiß auf Sicherheit! – Wir wollen Selbstverwirklichung und Perspektiven

It is a typical phenomenon, you complain about your job and certainly express your dissatisfaction by grumbling persistently. But let's be honest: it is not gonna change one bit. In the long run colleagues and friends are annoyed. I noticed this, so I did it. After long reconsidering of my current situation, my unhappiness and career perspectives, I resigned.

I welcome you to another episode of "Us Dissidents".

The decision was no where easy for me to take! I technically give up a secure job at a growing company with a great team. But what is security when I don't find my vocational fulfillung in my job? And when I am looking forward to the weekend and despite monday? And why do I tell you this anyways? 

The German Handelsblatt recently wrote about youg employees: "Because the members of Generation Y are not as (strongly) bound to their employers as their predecessor: Since constant flexibility of them is demanded, more frequent job changes and movings are not problem for them. Therefore they have no problem resigning"

The vocational self-realization plays no role. As I noticed, I want to develop in a different direction than I was able to in that certain position. I noticed also, for the last weeks I allowed many compromiseses because my security thought was stronger. I thought, 'oh c'mon, a secure job and a great team is great, get it together'. The security makes dull, yes inactive, because it is convenient. But at some point compromises became bigger and unbearable. So I resigned. To change directions of my life and my career. Finding new incentives.

Do you know what the awesome part is? Quite early I talked with my boss about my thought and shared my worries. In regard to this we thought about redesigning my job. We distributed tasks anew and initiated new projects. Nevertheless I resigned since I wanted to move into a completely different direction. In most other cases however, this employer behavior made its contribution to a longer employee commitment. It shows (in my case as well) the appreciation of employees. Keep a continueing dialogue between you and your employees and work on solutions together as soon as dissatisfaction or the urge to change job occurs! This is one of the essential tools of Employer Branding! It shows each employeer, he or she is an important part(icipant) of your company.

The commitment binding didn't work with me. But I keep being an ambassador recommending my now former employer as a great one to work at nonetheless. And this pretty much is a great success as well! 

The Job-Ads check, or, "The Entrance to the World of Pain"

Translated from Jannis Tsalikis's blog entry: Stellenanzeigen im Check oder auch der "Einstieg in die Welt des Schmerzes"

You might think I am exaggerating. Honestly, I wish I could push it but they job-ads I am going to show you will prove it. Paging through German magazines I sometimes land on pages with job-ads and, well, find the entrance to the world of pain (kinda like Smokie in The Big Lebowski). Check this out.

But maybe you find this different. I would like to give you two examples I am more than happy to discuss with you then.

Example #1: Ferchau 

(Ferchau is an ingeneering company specialized for the aviation industry.)

It says, "Convert your energy successfully". Erm yes, and...how, with a foursquared rack-wheel?! It also says, "You can do that better". Turning the quadrangular round?!

What kind of profile is actually looked for? And for what? What is the offer? Or is it an Image-Ad? If so, what does Ferchau stand forexactly? Cause this certainly is not explained in this ad at all.

Kind of too many inconsistencies - Ouch!! Don't you think?

Example #2: Bundeswehr 

(German Federal Armed Forces. Yes the GFAF also functions like a business. Now while we have no Major Tom nor Uncle Sam we instead have ust the black eagle hoping for applicants. I guess. (*EN))

Here it says, the "Ingeneering career at Bund is sharper than it looks". I am sorry, what? What the heck, erm eagle, does that mean?! You can have a sharp career at the Bundeswehr? What is that supposed to look like? 

Here as well I am asking myself: What and who is searched for? Why Bund instead of Bundeswehr? Why having an excrutiating log jammed structure in this job ad? With a confusing punch line if you can call that one even.

Ouch! I know I am hurting. Are you too?

JT

Bought Employer Reputation - the value of Employer Seals

 Translation from Ralf Junge's blog entry: Erkaufte Employer Reputation – der Wert von Arbeitgebersiegeln

Have you noticed that the (official) Fair Company seal must be paid for in Germany, starting in August?

On request I was told that students were skeptical of so many companies carrying the seal. The selection of companies as well as the missing transparancy were criticized here, also. So they introduced a new quality control with which the opinion of the intern(s) of the particular company builds the basic step for granting the seal.

Till here it is absolutely acceptable. After all such process handling means a certain effort involved which is not always naturally nor understood. Not for nothing it is claimed to be a "seal of surplus value" . So I read  the rules of membership held under the title Media Data. 

I was taken aback bout this matter here for the first time. At the end of the data a nice paragraph declared as "costs of membership" with two different Fair Company packages is stated - combinations with seal of data bank booking and seal of (job-)ad booking for €750 or €1,200. 

Oh yea, since so many companies bought the seal but didn't book anything, the seal now is also supposed to push the ad sales for career portal of the Handelsblatt, a German newspaper. Of course all in front of the background of a new quality management process being introduced anew. With this kind of jumble the seal certainly has a weird flavor . Yet, it isn't the only employer certification or - seal involving costs as these. 

I ask myself a couple of questions here: Is the Employer Reputation purchasable? What is such seal worth then? How credible and valid are such audit procedures? Do career starters actually know and use these seals for orientation for choice of employer? 

Considering the last question especially, I stumbled upon several companies publically displaying such seals but never explaining anything themselves nor linking them to the explanation by the seal's public site. Basically making this whole thing redundant!

My request to you hereby is: Ask your applicants and new colleagues, if they actually know the seal or are influenced by it.

RJ

Talking Windows in Recruiting

Translated from Ralf Junge's blog entry: Ein neuer Recruiting-Kanal – Kandidatensuche mit sprechenden Fenstern

Yes you read it right. It indeed says "Talking windows"!. 

Last week I reported about Guerilla Recruiting and innovative Personnel Marketing ideas. Today I would like to represent and discuss an idea which came to me this week.

Directly into the head of potential customers the pay-to-watch channel Sky Deutschland is presenting its newest App, letting window panes in trains talk to commuters directly. But not everybody can hear the message! Only those commuters who rest their head against the window.

Via transmitter the panes are set swinging and transfers a tone onto the skull tranfering the inaudible swingings directly to the inner ear -  that is the so called Bone Conduction. This (will) result in completely new Marketing and Recruiting means.

Imagine this, you transmit your message or job-ads via audio-spot. Aimed in trains, trams, buses, rental cars etc. to find candidates. Using this innovation of technical possibilities you might leave a sustaining impression. For the younger academics especially. The media attention will be yours for sure as well. But only, if you do not wait too long to be one of the first using Bone Conduction.

I am looking forward to seeing some projects published through this channel and especially by whom. 

RJ

World Sensation! Coming Up: Golden Mangel Award! Participate now!

Translated from Jannis Tsalikis's blog entry: Weltsensation! Verleihung der goldenen Runkelrübe! Jetzt mitmachen!

Don't you feel surrounded by weird or bad Recruiting Communication sometimes too often, also? If you do, it is time to deploy public shame! A few entries have reached us already. Yet, we want more! 

Be there when the first Goldene Runkelrübe (Golden Mangel Award) for the best worst Personnel Marketing Mean is given.  (This award will be awarded wether liked or not - the Golden Raspberry of HR ;)










Everybody is allowed to participate and submit! Let it be Company Representatives, Service Provider, Applicants, whatever. Your vote counts. Anonymously of course!

Submit your entry of personal personnel abomination of external HR Communication till 15th November 2013. Following categories are awarded:

• The discouraging job-ad
• The worst or most embarassing career vdeo
• The most unattractive Career Website
• The most failed Social Media-Presence

We are awaiting your submissions at pfuipfuipfui@goldene-runkelruebe.de!

The award show will take place 4th December (ca. 11 P.M.) in Berlin. Stay tuned. It is going to be a blast!


JT

Creative ways in Recruiting and Personnel Marketing

Translated from Ralf Junge's blog entry: Kreative Wege im Recruiting und Personalmarketing

The shortage for skilled talents is sharpening up. It definitely is not enough to just publish a job-ad online or offline nor presenting yourself at job fairs or to brace oneself with certificates, waiting for the right applicants to to come. It is not going to happen! Other companies with more innovative strategies will be much faster.

More and more companies have their recruiting values within the networks of their employees. With incentives of high bonuses employees are helt motivated to support the Recruiting in search of skilled talents in shape of employees' friends, associates and family members. In the June edition of brandeins Magazine, which I mentioned in my last post also, it read the company Eventbrite costs its recruiting employees incentives up to $2.500. The firms keep counterbidding themeselves in the so called war for talent. 

But money is not everything. Recruiting also is about catching eyes. Here we can learn a lot from the advitising sector which spice up their activities in Recruiting and Personnel Marketing with all kinds of creative ideas. By now, even here, in the pretty and colorful world of Ad and Media the war for talented minds. Here Agencies focus on much attention of their target group as well as the Surprise-Effect. With means such as the "Guerilla-Recruiting". 

One of the most famous example in Germany is probably the case of "Pizza Digitale"  by Scholz & Friends Hamburg. With a QR-Code on Pizzas (Yes, on real edible Pizzas) Digital Talents were searched for. With each order of Pizza by an agency the customer had one Pizza Digitale delivered additionally.  

With another creative idea  - the trojan portfolio - the Agency Jung von Matt was looking for the best Art Directors. Multiple Photographers were sent off to other ad-agencies to (under cover) apply with their portfolio. On one of the work sample the job-ad was (hidden) displayed. 

Besides such Recruiting activities, firms use plenty means to style up their job-place. Yes, job- Place. Massages, kicker-tables, sport activities or snack and coffee machines - all actions are about attracting new and retaining employees. (Kind of) Giving them the feeling to be proud to work at their company. 

The conventional means will not work for much long though. Now, creative and innovative ways are demanded. The young academics want to be wooed for and convinced about haven chosen the best employer. I'm excited to see the what ways and means for more attention companies chose in future. 

RJ