1.28.2008

Google Won't Search for Chuck Norris


Thanks to Annie for pointing out this fun bit of Google trivia. To replicate:

Step 1: Go to Google
Step 2: Type "find Chuck Norris"
Step 3: Click the "I'm feeling lucky" button
Step 4: Enjoy!

1.26.2008

Getting Paid to Interview for Jobs?

A new start-up called NotchUp is trying to "fix" the recruiting industry by introducing a new paradigm, one in which top candidates, whether actively or passively seeking a new job, are offered fees to accept job interviews from companies looking to fill positions.

A guy I met while in New York was exploring a similar idea where headhunters posted "their" candidates' resumes to "bid" on job postings listed by companies. Each job would have a bounty attached to it, which would be paid to the recruiter if their "bid" was successfully hired and retained for X months.

I'm excited to see how models such as this pan out, where economic incentives are used to solve for problems in the status quo, such as candidates' time not being valued and companies being restricted to speaking only to candidates who are actively job hunting (and, in turn, candidates not evaluating their options to at least confirm they're happy where they are).

Anyhow, I signed up and invited 450 of my closest LinkedIn friends. Interested in joining? Let me know and I'll refer you.


More about NotchUp (from their site)

"NotchUp was started by Jim Ambras and Rob Ellis, two managers who have collectively recruited hundreds of candidates.

On the corporate side, we noticed three common themes in the recruiting process at every company we worked at – significant amounts of time and money are wasted in the recruiting process, key unfilled positions can cripple a company’s growth, and every company wants to hire great individuals.

As individuals who have interviewed for our share of jobs, we noticed the system was equally broken.

The recruiting process for candidates is characterized by cold calls and mass emails, outside recruiters that don’t have your best interests at heart, and taking time out of your busy schedule to interview with a company that doesn’t always seem interested in you.

The only winners in all of this are job boards and headhunters.

We realized there had to be a better way to connect companies and candidates. "

1.25.2008

Internet Party: When Google's parents leave town...

Hilarious video I stumbled across on YouTube. I don't know which personification I like better eBay or facebook.

Fair warning: some explicit language.

It Was Only A Matter of Time...

Now that I'm a Californian, we all knew it was only a matter of time before I had to have some form of cosmetic surgery. So, I gave the blog a face lift!

What do you think?

Personally, I found the old set-up to be about two parts fun and seven parts hideous. This one looks far more professional to me, but if you disagree, please do share.

What amazed me was how painless the whole procedure was; Dr. Blogger really knows what he's doing!

1.22.2008

Too Soon To Quit?

Last night, a friend called me in dire need of consultation. With the deadline approaching to cast her Florida Democratic Primary absentee ballot, she just couldn't decide- Barack or Hillary? It was a true identity crisis, especially since she was actually a big fan of Biden.

So we get to discussing her decision criteria and, always one to have a unique take on politics, she says "I want to like Obama, but it really bugs me that he's quitting the Senate without even finishing one term. I'm nervous about electing someone who quits so soon."

As I thought about it a bit more last night, I saw some pretty strong parallels to discussions I'd had with friends back in New York who were nervous about quitting their first jobs "too soon." My advice was always: "If you'd be happier and more effective elsewhere, then quit tomorrow."

Of course, conventional wisdom would paint me a fool. Any headhunter who finished reading their firm's training manual before cold-calling you will tell you that it's "professional suicide" to leave a job in less than 18 months (or to stay at one for more than 3 years, thereby depriving them of a commission). Personally, I don't buy it.

Take i-bankers. Most lower-level bankers hate their jobs. Many of them will even admit that they're not learning as much as they'd hoped. Yet, most will stick it out for a couple years, for some reason I fail to comprehend. I think of it like this:

If I were interviewing two ex-analysts with identical backgrounds (same degree, worked in the same group, equally hated their jobs at 6 months, etc), but one difference: one quit and the other "stuck it out," who would I hire?

The one who cut their losses and changed course, or the one who did what was expected of them?

If my resources are at stake, I'll take someone who knows when to abandon ship (be it a bad job or bad project chewing through shareholders' money) over someone who sticks with a bad bet anyday.


So, I guess my point is that I applaud Senator Obama for going after the job in which he believes he can add the most value. Not many of us have that type of courage. It's often easier to just fall in line and hide behind "I'm too young," or "it's too soon" or "I'll do it eventually." In an age when a 23 year-old can lead a $15B company, and two other 20-somethings founded the single most influential organization of our generation, do any of us really have an excuse to wait?

On the other hand, if Obama wins and serves only one term, he'll be a Presidential alumnus at age 51. Seriously, where do you go from there?

1.21.2008

Pictures from Europe are up!

Sorry for the delay...have been swamped at work since getting back. We've finally uploaded our pics. Check out our Picasa Web Albums and let us know what you think!

To read up on the trip, check out the trip blog, I'm With Stupid.

Video to come once I figure out how to get it off my camera and edit it...likely to be awhile.

Miguel y Danny en Espana


Michel et Danny à Paris


Mikey and Danny's Night in London

1.16.2008

'Phins Hire a New Coach

As anticipated, my beloved Miami Dolphins, under the new leadership of VP - Football Operations Bill Parcells have hired a new head coach, canning Cam Cameron after only one season (albeit an abysmal one) at the helm. Also as anticipated the new skipper, Tony Sparano, is a member of Parcell's inner-circle, allowing the Big Tuna to live up to his promise of not assuming head coaching duties, while maintaining his ability to strongly influence coaching decisions.

While I'm hopeful that these recent leadership changes will help return our team to its rightful place as one of the NFL's premier franchises, it's difficult to get too excited, as the past decade has brought "big" announcement after "big" announcement, followed-up by wretched under-performance. That said, Parcells has quite the resume of turning around under-performing teams...could this finally be the start of a successful post-Marino era?

If nothing else, we might benefit from other teams confusing our new coach for his near-namesake Tony Soprano and being afraid to invoke his wrath by beating us.