Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Welcome to the September 29, 2007 edition of carnival of career intensity.

Charles H. Green presents Business Ethics and Self-Orientation posted at Trust Matters, saying, “Harvard Business School takes a surprisingly philosophical look at business ethics and concludes it all comes down to orientation towards the Other.”

Mike Harmon presents The ABCs of Cash Flow Forecasting posted at Basic Accounting, saying, “Cash flow is often called the lifeblood of a business. There are ways to improve cash flow of any small business and remove some of the worries about bills not being paid or not having enough on hand to pay wages.”

Sue Massey presents The Four Perspectives of Business - Keeping Your Eye On What?s Important posted at Business Management Life, saying, “The key element to measuring success is not focusing solely on the financial results of your company but also focusing on the human and cultural aspects of your company. These elements are the true indicators of a company’s future performance and ultimately affect those bottom-line financials.”

Randy Nichols presents Fast Paced Success - Considering a Career in Business posted at Career Advice by Randy, saying, “Whether you have relatives who have entered the field ahead of you or you are simply looking for a field that will always provide you with challenges, careers in business are definitely one way to go!”

Matt Hanson presents Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog » Blog Archive » Benefits Of A More Personalized Catalog posted at Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog, saying, “Catalogs are excellent marketing materials to complement other forms of promotional tools. Often, they are generally used to combine with a companys website, print brochures, and even flyers. When used this way, business owners often get more response from both marketing media.”

Chris Tackett presents Cold Calling - Does It Work Anymore? posted at Direct Marketing News, saying, “Cold calling immediately puts you into a position of being needy. Cold calling gives your prospect the impression that you have nothing better to do, and that all you are doing, is trying to scrape up business. Here are just a few of the different ways you can generate leads or prospects.”

Eric Hudin presents My Estate Planning Career Blog » Blog Archive » The Professional Corporation Trust - Preserving the Value of Your Practice posted at My Estate Planning Career Blog, saying, “The professional corporation trust is simply a revocable living trust with a specific purpose: to keep a licensed individual’s interest in a professional corporation out of probate in the event of the death of its owner.”

Tom Stanley presents Franchising - Before You Buy posted at Tom’s Franchise Information Blog, saying, “Before you make the decision to buy a franchise, it is important to look into the company’s background. By law all franchisors must provide prospective franchisees with a Uniform Franchise Offering Circular (UFOC), a document that contains significant information about the company. One of the most essential components of this disclosure report is any history of litigation and bankruptcy related to the company or its executives.”

Jason Rakowski presents Critical Priorities for Extraordinary Service Quality posted at Learn Good Customer Service, saying, “What are the vital few ideas and actions that really made a difference with the customers and clients? There are thousands of tiny things that made a necessary and positive contribution, but here are five areas that are make or break.”

Chris Russell presents Boldy Go Where No Has Before - Prepare to Do 20 Times More by Looking Five Years Ahead posted at Productivity Planner, saying, “The steps for creating a 2,000 percent solution (accomplishing 20 times more with the same time, effort, and resources) are listed here…”

Stacey Derbinshire presents Finding The Right Part Time Business Opportunity posted at Starting a Small Home Business, saying, “When looking at part time business opportunities, there are several factors you need to consider to help eliminate the ones that are wrong for you and zero in on the good ones.”

edithyeung presents What are You Waiting for posted at Edith Yeung.Com: Dream. Think. Act..

John W. Furst presents Touch It - Do It - Get It Done - Part 2 posted at E-Biz Booster Blog, saying, “Time management is one key skill that you should learn early on. But all theories are worthless unless you follow through. Let me introduce very simple rules and exercises that will get you started quickly. No matter if you are a manager in a huge corporation or a small business owner working out of your home office. I want to talk to you. Start using your time more effectively now.”

Louise Manning presents Keeping busy posted at The Human Imprint.

Ravi Vora presents 8 Easy Ways to Get A Raise and Never Get Fired posted at Ravi Vora.

Ted Reimers presents Most Expensive Colleges posted at CampusGrotto.

GreatManagement presents Graduates do not have right skills posted at The GreatManagement Blog.

Raj Sheelvant presents A New Breed of IT Workers posted at IT Strategy, saying, “Soft skills are becoming more and more important to the IT folks to be competitive because of globalization”

Gavin Ingham presents How to build confidence and close more sales posted at Gavin Ingham.

The Career Counselor presents The Top Six Ways to Shine at a New Job posted at ask the CareerCounselor.

Warren Wong presents What Do You Actually Buy With Money? posted at Personal Development for INTJs, saying, “What do you actually purchase when you exchange money for some item? The answer isn’t as obvious as you may think!”

Christine Scivicque presents Caution: Your Emotions Are Showing posted at The Executive Assistant’s Tool Box.

Matthew Paulson presents Getting a Degree Online: How to Get a Valuable Education and Not Get Ripped Off posted at Getting Green.

Warren Wong presents Why You Should Show Appreciation posted at Personal Development for INTJs, saying, “Why you should show appreciation for the little things people do and how to go about doing it.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of career intensity using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Welcome to the September 22, 2007 edition of Carnival of Career Intensity.

Joy Miller presents College credit for life experience posted at Online College Blog, saying, “Many colleges and universities allow you to earn credit for life experience. How this credit is awarded and assigned varies widely by university.”

Warren Wong presents How To Pull An All Nighter posted at Personal Development for INTJs, saying, “Do you need to pull an all nighter? Here’s some tips to do it effectively!”

Craig Andrews presents Push Yourself Out Of Your Comfort Zone posted at Craig S. Andrews.com, saying, “For excellent results, one the best ways to drive a lot of traffic to your blog or Website is through effective and unique article version submissions. Using a highly effective article submission software is key to your Internet success, visit: http://www.articleprosoftware.com. Please visit my blog for “Real Internet Business Solutions” and more! Thank you, Craig Andrews.”

Mike Harmon presents Proven Tips To Improve Your Cash Flow posted at Basic Accounting, saying, “Ever heard of the saying that a sale is not a sale until the cash is in your bank account? If we you were paid for your sales the moment that you made them, you would never have a cash flow problem. Follow these techniques to improve the look of your bank account!”

Sue Massey presents The ?Human Dimension? And its Impact on Your Business posted at Business Management Life, saying, “Leading people requires much more than just seeing them as a cost-factor. Being aware of and understanding human behavior is essential for the degree of success you are able to achieve with your business.”

Matt Hanson presents Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog » Blog Archive » What Makes Your Business Cards Impressive? posted at Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog, saying, “In our day to day professional life, we feel the importance of business cards, almost every time we need to deal with an external party. The requirement is particularly felt when we need to introduce ourselves to someone, especially a client. But have you ever spent a thought on these business cards and what makes them impressive?”

Chris Tackett presents 5 Steps To Turn More Leads Into Cash! posted at Direct Marketing News, saying, “Here are 5 smart things you can do right now to turn more of your leads into cash.”

Eric Hudin presents Marketing-Strategy Essentials posted at Everyday Marketing Ideas, saying, “For every business, it is essential to know and understand their market intimately, know their potential customers as well the competitive environment.”

Tom Stanley presents You Decide, Buy a Franchise or Create Your Own Start-Up posted at Tom’s Franchise Information Blog, saying, “Franchise or create your own business idea? There is a lot to be said about buying into a franchise system that is proven and working. On the other hand, giving birth to your own idea is very exciting.”

Jason Rakowski presents Customer Service Outsourced and Ineffective? posted at Learn Good Customer Service, saying, “Most businesses admit that customer service is an important function in the role of their business. However, more and more businesses are outsourcing customer support functions as a means of reducing overall costs.”

Chris Russell presents Improve Employee Productivity - Put Your Policy and Procedure Manuals Online posted at Productivity Planner, saying, “Your policies and procedures are a significant part of your business process knowledge. This knowledge must be managed to be effective.”

Stacey Derbinshire presents Home Internet Business Oportunities - What?s Your Passion? posted at Starting a Small Home Business, saying, “Successful minded people are usually pretty creative and motivated to learn and could easily be successful in their internet based business with the proper guidance/training/coaching, etc… Everyone needs to find something they are passionate about.”

Giannis Mamin presents Hard work posted at WeddInWeb Blog.

David Kam presents Screensaver for Promoting Your Company posted at MarketingDeviant.com.

Edith Yeung presents Should I Refer You? posted at Edith Yeung.Com: Dream. Think. Act..

Gustav S presents 7 Lessons to Increase your Productivity and Efficiency a la Personal Growth Style posted at success-is-in-you.com.

Marc and Angel presents 15 Key Qualities that Offset Job Experience Requirements posted at Marc and Angel, saying, “Never let the supposed job qualifications or experience requirements stand in your way of applying. If you know you can handle the job, you are probably the employee the employer wants. All you have to do is make them aware of your potential.”

David B. Bohl presents The Secret to Achieving Your Goals: Turn Them into Habits posted at Slow Down Fast Today!, saying, “Thank you for your consideration.”

Alexander Becker presents Make it Personal posted at WOW, saying, “Since your idea will die from too clean an abstraction anyway, it will be worth that one last try.”

Christine Scivicque presents How to Be Proactive: A Quick Review posted at The Executive Assistant’s Tool Box.

Ted Reimers presents Student Loan Consolidation FAQ posted at CampusGrotto.

Jody DeVere presents Deborah Renshaw: Wide Open for NASCAR Checkered Flag posted at Ask Patty - Automotive Advice for Women.

Matthew Paulson presents Don’t Invest Money in Your Company’s Stock posted at Getting Green.

Ivan Rios presents How To Make Your Team Happy posted at artofleading.net.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of career intensity using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Welcome to the September 15, 2007 edition of carnival of Career Intensity.

Health Chaos presents Balancing Job Offers posted at Health Chaos.

Jack Yoest presents Management Training Tip #2: Writing an employee evaluation? Try 101 helping sentences. posted at Yoest.com, saying, “Academia and the Army have one thing in common. Yes, there is something. Your Business Blogger is a former Armor Cavalry Officer and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Management, so I was surprised to learn of some overlap. Perhaps the only intersection is the willingness to share with with fellow servicemen or teachers various helps needed for the efficient and effective transference of knowledge.”

David Kam presents Chapter 5 Force: Governing and Battling posted at MarketingDeviant.com.

Mike Harmon presents Accounting - The Language of Business posted at Basic Accounting, saying, “Accounting often is referred to as “the language of business” because of its role in maintaining and processing all relevant financial information that an entity or company requires for its managing and reporting purposes.”

Sue Massey presents 7 Lessons From A Bad Manager posted at Business Management Life, saying, “Many people work for bosses who are horrible at what they do. Having worked under a bad manager offered an invaluable opportunity to witness a failed approach to management.”

Matt Hanson presents Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog » Blog Archive » Ways To Advertise On The Web posted at Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog, saying, “This article deals with some of the most popular ways to advertise on the web for free.”

Chris Tackett presents Drip Marketing Nurtures Customers And Generates Leads posted at Direct Marketing News, saying, “Drip marketing is the process of sending out several promotional pieces consistently over a period of time to a targeted list. This direct mail marketing idea is aimed at staying in touch with your current and potential customers. It is essential to have them think of you when they, or someone they know, need your product/service.”

Eric Hudin presents A Word on Word-of-Mouth Marketing posted at Everyday Marketing Ideas, saying, “Some Public Relations purists seem to be giving a derisive sniff to all of the attention paid to Word-of-Mouth and word-of-mouse marketing. They contend, and rightly so, that new innovations have always had vocal early adopters, and publics have long sought out communities of interest to help them make important decisions.”

Tom Stanley presents Dream Your Own Dream posted at Tom’s Franchise Information Blog, saying, “When you are considering owning your own business, a franchise may seem quite appealing. But instead of starting with someone else’s idea, why not start with your own?”

Jason Rakowski presents How to Deliver the Ultimate in Customer Service Delight posted at Learn Good Customer Service, saying, “With the right approach you can add wow factor to your customer experiences and develop mutually beneficial long term relationships with them.”

Chris Russell presents Office White Noise posted at Productivity Planner, saying, “White noise machines are fast becoming one of the most popular developments when it comes to office acoustics. The reason office white noise machines are being implemented in office environments is that they provide a calm and soothing working environment, which leads to better productivity.”

Stacey Derbinshire presents Business Plans - An Outline for the New Entrepreneur posted at Starting a Small Home Business, saying, “You can not afford to have a casual attitude with respect to your planning. Even if you are great at visualizing and know perfectly well where you want to take your business after a certain period of time, you should take the time to put your plan in black and white.”

Wilson Ng presents MultiTasking for Productivity posted at Reflections of a BizDrivenLife, saying, “We always believe that our quest to be more is served by us doing more. Thus, we multitask, trying to do as many task or juggle as many balls on the air. Most tasks that you can juggle may seem urgent, but they may be better delegated or not done at all. The tasks that defines your success may be those that require concentration and full attention. Doing few important tasks well may be more crucial to your success than doing many tasks haphazardly.”

Todd Goldfarb presents 4 Critical Steps to Uncovering the Perfect Career posted at We The Change, saying, “not too funny, and doesn’t stroke your ego but a really good article about finding a fulfilling career! thanks…”

Daylle Deanna Schwartz presents Making Your Mistakes Count posted at Lessons from a Recovering DoorMat.

Wanda Grindstaff presents Prosperity and Abundance is Your Birthright posted at Creating Abundant Lifestyles.

Jimmy Atkinson presents Top 25 Nursing Blogs (By the Numbers) | NOEDb posted at NOEDb: Nursing Online Education Database.

Gavin Ingham presents What sales superstars believe that you don’t posted at Gavin Ingham.

Ted Reimers presents Most Popular College Majors posted at CampusGrotto.

Matthew Paulson presents How to Go to Graduate School and not go Broke in the Process posted at Getting Green.

Raj Sheelvant presents Globalization of Labor - II posted at IT Strategy, saying, “The barrier for job migration has dramatically lowered and hence Globalization of Labor is more relevant now.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of career intensity using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Welcome to the September 8, 2007 edition of carnival of career intensity.

Charles H. Green presents I Can’t Make You Love Me–If You Don’t posted at Trust Matters

Doris Chua presents My Life Partner is My Working Partner posted at A Meeting Place for All Home Office Women.

Ted Reimers presents How to make Money in College posted at CampusGrotto.

Christine Scivicque presents How to Speak Your Mind (and Keep Your Job) posted at The Executive Assistant’s Tool Box.

Christine Scivicque presents The Art of Biting Your Tongue posted at The Executive Assistant’s Tool Box.

Raj Sheelvant presents A New Breed of IT Workers posted at IT Strategy

Millionaire Mommy Next Door presents The Powerful (and Addictive) Nature of Giving posted at Millionaire Mommy Next Door.

Ivan Rios presents Why Leaders are Authors of Greatness posted at artofleading.net.

Ivan Rios presents Slow Down?Think?Act posted at artofleading.net.

Wanda Grindstaff presents The Results “The Money” is in the Action posted at Creating Abundant Lifestyles.

Matthew Paulson presents How to Find Jobs that Aren’t Listed in the Classifieds posted at Getting Green.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of career intensity using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Welcome to the September 1, 2007 edition of carnival of career intensity.

Matthew Paulson presents Ten Ways to Earn Extra Cash When You’re in a Crunch posted at Getting Green.

The Career Counselor presents How To Recognize and Remedy Job Burnout posted at ask the CareerCounselor.

Jay Liew presents Winds of Change posted at The Sunjay Times.

Warren Wong presents Do You Have An Abundant Mindset? posted at Personal Development for INTJs, saying, “Do you have an abundant mindset? Here’s four questions that will allow you to see just how much you like your fellow human beings.”

Mike Harmon presents Accounting Tips For Those Using A CPA posted at Basic Accounting, saying, “If you are using a certified public accountant there are certain things you need to know. Here are a few important things to do when using a CPA.”

Sue Massey presents Do You Know How to Delegate Effectively? posted at Business Management Life, saying, “Delegating work to others is a High Payoff Activity. Being able to effectively delegate is essential to productivity and the operation of your business.”

Matt Hanson presents Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog » Blog Archive » Spending Those Hard Earned Dollars On Advertising posted at Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog, saying, “Advertising can be a tricky thing. Knowing where to spend on advertising and how much to spend is extremely important in being able to grow one’s business and grow efficiently.”

Chris Tackett presents 5 Things To Consider When Looking for A Network Marketing Business posted at Direct Marketing News, saying, “As the trend of working from home continues, its important to make an educated decision before starting any company. Here are a few things you need to consider and evaluate before choosing a company.”

Eric Hudin presents 5 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Marketing Overnight posted at Everyday Marketing Ideas, saying, “You run a business. You have a great product. Your customer service skills are second to none. But your marketing falls flat. Here are a handful of steps you can take right now to get your marketing back on track and make it perform the way it is supposed to.”

Tom Stanley presents Top Ten Franchise Opportunities for $20,000 posted at Tom’s Franchise Information Blog, saying, “Franchises are among the fastest growing business opportunities available. Franchise opportunities now exist that will fit almost any budget.”

Jason Rakowski presents It?s Up To You - Make Customer Service A Positive Experience posted at Learn Good Customer Service, saying, “The sad truth is that most people can probably recall a poor customer service incident before they recall a great experience. Why is this?”

Stacey Derbinshire presents 8 Secrets to Staying in Business - For Entrepreneurs Only posted at Starting a Small Home Business, saying, “Entrepreneurs that manage to stay in business share a few core characteristics that ensure their long-term survival. Learning these secrets can help you to weather the storm and hang on for dear life.”

Edith Yeung presents Disempowering Phrases Successful People Never Say posted at Edith Yeung.Com: Dream. Think. Act..

Rolf F. Katzenberger presents Successful meetings, or: The Great Commandment of Communication posted at Evomend | Timeless resources for personal organization., saying, “You’ve completed the room reservation in time. You’ve arranged for coffee and beverages. You’ve set up the agenda and mailed it in advance to all participants. All feedback has been incorporated, of course. All flip chart supports are loaded with fresh pads of paper. Then the meeting begins. Discussion starts. After a while, you feel like you’d rather be amidst a bunch of howler monkeys during their mating season. Why isn’t anybody listening?”

Health Chaos presents Admitting Mistakes posted at Health Chaos.

Ivan Rios presents Why I Cried For The First Time In My Adult Life posted at artofleading.net.

wilson ng presents Moving without Pushing posted at Reflections of a BizDrivenLife, saying, “In your organization, do you sometimes get the feeling that you have to constantly push, cajole, threaten, sweet-talk, or even bribe people just to get things done? Here is an anecdote I usually tell employees and fellow managers which passes the message about the need to execute in a humorous yet effective way.”

Matthew Paulson presents Making Your eBay Auctions More Cost Effective: Save Money on Shipping posted at Getting Green.

Joan Schramm presents Bottlenecks, Choke-points and Bad Bosses posted at Accelerating Momentum.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of career intensity using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Leona Helmsley passed away today at age 87.  She was listed in Forbes Magazine as one of the richest people in the world.  How will she be remembered?  What was her personal brand?

Just check out the newspaper articles announcing her death:

The Wall Street Journal –  “Leona Helmsley, the cutthroat hotel magnate whose title as the “queen of mean” was sealed during a tax evasion case in which she was quoted as snarling “only little people pay taxes,” died Monday at age 87.”

New York Daily News – “The Queen of Mean is dead. Leona Helmsley, the haughty hotel baroness who once famously declared “only little people pay taxes,” has died of heart failure at her summer house in Greenwich, Conn., her spokesman Howard Rubenstein said. She was 87.”

New York Post – “’Queen of Mean’ Leona Helmsley Dead at 87. Perhaps she will most be remembered for saying, “We don’t pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes.”

Sure she was rich.  Sure she gave a lot of money to charity.  But in the end, her personal brand was that of a spiteful, arrogant, nasty woman – whose own employees turned her in to the government for tax evasion. 

Keep this in mind as you get rich.  How you make your money is as important as the amount of money you make.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Welcome to the August 18, 2007 edition of Carnival of Career Intensity.

Charles H. Green presents Don’t Believe What They Say About Listening and Sales posted at Trust Matters, saying, “Too often we listen and hear what a person says they need, without realizing that really listening would tell us what they actually want.”

James presents Overcoming Shyness: Tips for making effective eye contact posted at you shy devil you, saying, “Eye contact is one of the most fundamental forms of body language. Here are 5 1/2 tips on making more effective eye contact.”

Jack Yoest presents Watch For Upwarding Leaping Monkeys posted at Yoest.com, saying, “Managers, are there monkeys leaping up on your backs? The monkey is the next move after the boss and subordinate part after talking — all too often the boss has the next move. The staffer has ‘delegated’ a task up to the boss. An upward leaping monkey.”

Michael Fowke presents Money is fire in the head posted at Money is the way, saying, “I am so intense about being the world’s foremost financial shaman.”

Mike Harmon presents Planning an Business Trip posted at Basic Accounting, saying, “For Business Owners, a business trip can be a valuable tool and tax deduction. Typically however, the business owner gets to tax time and finds out there is a big tax liability due.”

Matt Hanson presents Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog » Blog Archive » Custom Made Jingles, Commercials and Music for Television and Radio posted at Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog, saying, “Looking for the right sound and company to produce that sound can be somewhat tricky, especially if this is your first run with TV or radio. There are a number of things to look out for in terms of getting the best price with a great sounding commercial.”

Chris Tackett presents ITV Ventures Review - Honest Money Making Opportunity Or Scam? posted at Direct Marketing News, saying, “Do you realize that there are many more infomercials today as compared to 10 years ago? When you look at the television the commercials are aired in such a way to engage the viewer in their ‘wants’. My goal is to help you get the logical side before investing your hard earned cash into ITV Ventures.”

Eric Hudin presents From iPhone to YouTube - The Viral Marketing Method posted at Everyday Marketing Ideas, saying, “Many businesses take advantage of the newest marketing method available: viral advertising. Different marketing strategies are employed by product and service providers, channeling popular and existing social networking communities online.”

Tom Stanley presents Do You Really Want to Buy a Franchise? posted at Tom’s Franchise Information Blog, saying, “Most people who start their own businesses don’t seem to know what they’re getting themselves into. Most look at it as something glamorous, exciting, with such a sense of newfound freedom that they’re fooled into believing wealth is just a few days, weeks, or months away.”

Jason Rakowski presents The Money Is In The Service posted at Learn Good Customer Service, saying, “Your business expertise and marketing efforts are all for the final finale: receiving customers, making the sale, but most importantly, keeping your customers loyal and returning for your service or products (hopefully they will refer other potential customers.) Your customer service will determine if you will have a repeat customer.”

Chris Russell presents Enhancing Human Performance posted at Productivity Planner, saying, “Knowing why people behave the way they do on the job is the key to gaining commitment to continuous improvement. A manager must understand peoples needs in order to increase motivation and therefore meet the needs of the organization.”

Stacey Derbinshire presents Leveling the Playing Fields posted at Starting a Small Home Business, saying, “The lifeplan of school, college, and get a job is the paradigm most are trained to follow. However, only a small percentage of those who follow this plan end up with any level of wealth or financial satisfaction in their secular life.”

Aruni Gunasegaram presents Musings of a Texas Gal in NYC - Working Mother Conference - Instant Polling posted at Babble Soft’s Blog, saying, “I believe the information in this post will add value to the careers of your readers whether they are working moms or dads. I hope you agree since the submission criteria are pretty vague. Although, since I don’t know you I’m not sure if it will stroke your ego!”

Millionaire Mommy Next Door presents Evaluation is Critical for Success. How to Measure Your Progress. posted at Millionaire Mommy Next Door, saying, “I have learned from past experience with my other projects, goals and small businesses that it is crucial to monitor progress using analytical measures. Regular evaluations of any project are important for keeping it on track and in alignment with one’s vision. Today, on my one month blogiversary, I am illustrating this important evaluation process.”

Edith Yeung presents Know How to Ask for What you Deserve and Break the Glass Ceiling posted at Edith Yeung.Com: Dream. Think. Act..

Warren Wong presents Make People Comfortable By Greeting Them Right posted at Personal Development for INTJs, saying, “Do you know how to make people comfortable when you meet them? Here’s a couple of tips to make them feel right at home.”

Marc and Angel presents The Google Anonymous are Safe and Jobless posted at Marc and Angel, saying, “In today’s fast paced, highly competitive job market where first impressions are the fine line between success and failure, you must be keenly aware of your online image. But what really happens if a Google search for your name comes back blank?”

The Career Counselor presents Guerilla Warfare for Job Hunters posted at ask the CareerCounselor.

Matthew Paulson presents How Much Are You Worth? posted at Getting Green.

Steve Faber presents - Home Business Opportunity – How to Succeed With the Right One posted at DebtBlog.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Brain Training Games and “Games” posted at SharpBrains, saying, “Explaining how to navigate through the growing number of “brain training” claims.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of Career Intensity using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Revenue, Profit and Cash Flow are some of the things most of us think of when we think about the value of a business.  The Street.com  points out several things that many people over look when it comes to the value of a business.  Here are the three best things pointed out in the article titled  15 Hidden Revenue Streams (with my editorial commentary of course).  

Customer Lists are valuable.  This is huge.  Many business don’t even keep track of their customers’ information.  A good customer list is incredibly valuable.  People who purchased a product from you will probably purchase similar or complementary products from others. 

Your Website Address could be valuable.  Here’s an example:  I owned a domain name that was close to the name of my business. Someone else wanted that domain name and they were not going to be in a business that competed with me.  I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with that name in the future.  They made me an offer of $5,000 in cash and I gladly sold the domain name to them.

Space on the roof of your building could be valuable.  In 1998 I rented space on the top of a hotel in East Rutherford, New Jersey to a cell phone company for $500 per month. The going rate today is probably much higher.   Could you use the extra cash?

There is value in many of the nooks and crannies of your business.  Make sure you look around with a creative eye when thinking about the value of your business.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Radio personality Don Imus is back in the news again.  Yesterday an announcement came across the newswire that Imus had reached a settlement in his contract dispute after being fired back in April.

I’m not going to take a position on the decision to fire Imus.  What he said was reprehensible.  It was one of many comments that he made over the years designed to get laughs while picking on a specific group or individual. 

If you want to use humor in business there are a few rules you’d be wise to follow if you don’t want to get thrown out on your ear.

The best person to pick on is in the mirror. Self-deprecating humor is great for many reasons. 

• First, it’s safe.  When done correctly, you only run the risk of offending yourself. 
• Next, it can create empathy among members of your audience.  Remember Rodney Dangerfield?  He got no respect and people loved him for it.
• Additionally, it will show that you don’t take yourself too seriously – a danger many speakers/leaders fall into. 
• Finally, it shows a sense of humility and confidence.  If you point out your own shortcomings you clearly don’t think you’re a big shot (at least in the eyes of most people).

If you insist on telling a joke at someone else’s expense think about these four things:

At work the best dirty joke is the one you don’t tell.  Never tell a joke in the office you wouldn’t tell your grandmother – and if you have an open relationship with grandma, leave the humor in the living room.

If you live in a glass house, get dressed in the basement.  Everyone hates a hypocrite.  If you pick on someone else for a flaw you possess, you will only take a beating later on – it is as certain as the sunrise.

Never pick on the weak kid. Bullies eventually get beat up.  Picking on a person or group of people who are perceived as weaker in stature will only serve to make you look like a jerk.  At a minimum, you should humorously take on someone who is of equal stature and has an equal forum from which to respond.  Funny or not, you need to be able to dish it out and take it.

Make sure your humorous comment is true. Most good humor stems from the fact that there is truth in the comment or joke.  If you want to launch a verbal bomb, the least you can do is make sure it hits a legitimate target.

The best kind of humor is the kind that doesn’t hurt anyone.  Wise cracks and put-downs will ultimately hurt you.  Be smart – keep it clean and focused on you (or on an inanimate object) and you’ll probably be ok.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

I stumbled across this article in the Wall Street Journal last week and it reaffirmed a general principle I teach my clients. 

That principle:  Every business should have a luxury offering.

Why?  Luxury purchases are emotional and value is in the eye of the beholder.  Here are four of the emotional triggers associated with luxury products and services:

Pride of Spending – Clients will be proud to show off a product or service for which they have paid a premium.  Remember the line “if you have to ask you can’t afford it”?  Who wouldn’t want someone to say that about your product?

Perception of Quality – “You get what you pay for”.  Think about a good defense attorney.  If you were on death row would you want the public defender (who’s free) or would you want the guy who charges $750/hour?  Note:  this is the perception of quality and not necessarily the actual quality.  Still, people buy based upon their perception.

Confidence in the Brand – For some reason, paying more will often increase the confidence that people have in your brand.  The thinking is that if it costs a lot it must be good.  See Mercedes vehicles if you doubt this.  Lexus vehicles are more reliable and arguably better built but what do most of the affluent folks in your neighborhood drive?

Buzz – Spending big bucks certainly gets people talking.  Some people like it when others talk about them.  Why not have people talk about their friends because of  the money they are spending on your product or service?

So let’s say you’re a local business – how do you add a luxury brand extension?

In retail I advise clients to start a Private Client Group that includes personal shopping or clientelling.  In most cases this involves shopping by appointment, sometimes during times when the store is closed.  In other cases this involves access to products or services days or weeks before the general public.  In still other cases this may mean not going to the store at all. I have one client who brings the latest fashions to her Private Clients twice per month.

For service businesses this could mean 24–hour service at a moment’s notice – or a regular “check-up” that other clients don’t get.  I have a plumber as a client who performs monthly “check-ups” on the air conditioning systems of his Private Clients. My auto repair shop clients go to their Private Client’s homes, pick up the car and drop it off after the repair is finished.  They also provide a loaner car to the client.

Finally, I have a restaurant client that provides limo service to and from the restaurant for their Private Clients.

Oh, by the way, luxury clients are at least twice as profitable as their “affordable” counterparts.  Is this something you can work into your business? 

Filed under: Marketing
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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Many of you know that I am over educated.  I have Master’s degrees from two pretty good schools.  The time I spent in school was valuable to me because I enjoy learning,  but you don’t need to go to graduate school – or even college for that matter – to succeed in business or in life.  In fact, if you’re not careful, college can hurt your creativity and stifle your ability to make creative decisions.

As evidence, I submit the latest addition to the University of Chicago Business School application packet – a Power Point Presentation.  Wow.  That’s really cutting edge stuff.  

We are in an age most enlightened people HATE Power Point presentations.  In fact, truly good presenters take to the stage (or the front of the room) and make an engaging case without Power Point. 

I guess the University of Chicago wants kids to start off learning what will get them thrown out of most meetings, board rooms and executive offices – quickly. 

I have a better idea.  Why not have these prospective students market themselves the way they would market a product or service.  Have them develop a campaign and provide one specific execution from that campaign in with their school application.

Can you imagine a kid creating a video the demonstrates the value he brings to the program and them publishing that video on You Tube?  Let’s say the video has a call to action that asks people to write to the dean and request that the kid is admitted to the B-school.  If the video goes viral and the dean receives thousands of letters about this kid, hasn’t he demonstrated a more valuable skill than if he created a boring presentation?

This is just one example.  There are literally hundreds of executions kids could apply to this process. Even if the executions fail they will provide far more insight into the potential student than a lousy Power Point presentation.

University of Chicago – get with the times.  This type of thinking is what’s wrong with the academic environment today.  It’s just not applicable to real life.

Filed under: Career Commonsense
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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Selecting a Business Coach can be a difficult decision.  There is no licensing agency that regulates coaching.  There are a few groups that “certify” people to be coaches but the criteria set by these agencies is often arbitrary and self serving.  There are a few franchise business coaching companies that provide coaching models.  The intellectual property that these companies have developed is pretty good. (Full disclosure: I own a franchise coaching business and I use their process in addition to my own specialty coaching).  Any of those solutions could be terrific or they could be a bust.  The question is how: How do you know if you coach is qualified to work with you?

Here are some things to look at when choosing a business coach:

Look for a structured coaching format and a proven process. A good coach has a curriculum and good diagnostic tools to help identify “need areas” for their clients.  Although everyone has different needs and every business is a little different, taking a focused approach is important.  Ask your coach how you will decide what to focus on first in your work together.  Ask them about the “basics” of their coaching work.  They should talk about helping you with goal setting, sales and marketing strategy and work/life balance issues.  This stuff is important and it is the “bread and butter” of coaching.  The coaches that use the franchise systems will have these basics covered and they will follow a structured diagnostic process that will help you get started quickly.  Coaches who freelance (or just wing it) may have a difficult time honing in on the key issues that you need to focus on to move your business forward. 

Ask about the coach’s background.  If you’re an entrepreneur don’t work with a coach who has never built a successful business.  Your coach should know success in order to help you succeed.  Sure, it’s true that your coach’s main job is to get you to believe in yourself  - and you don’t need experience to do that – but for credibility purposes you want to work with someone who has walked a mile in your shoes.  If you are an executive, you should work with a coach who has experience in the executive ranks of the corporate world.

If you have a special problem, look for a specialist.  If your problem is in sales and marketing, look for a coach with expertise in sales and marketing.  If you have finance issues, look for an expert in finance.  If you have trouble hiring and keeping staff you should look for someone who has expertise in that area.  Specialists can address your issues quickly and effectively.

Ultimately, there are many, many qualified people out there who can coach you.  The key is finding someone who is a good match for your needs.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

This week we look at a quote from the Bible that articulates a belief that transcends religious, ethnic or gender differences.  

“For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again.” [Proverbs 24:16]

What this means to me:

If you really want something you can never give up.  You must persist until you achieve your goal. 

People fail for only two reasons:

1. They don’t have a goal so they don’t know what success looks like.
2. They give up. 

That’s it.  Those are the only two reasons for failure.

When you buy-in to this philosophy, you become a powerful person. 

Think about it.  If you believe in this way of thinking (and just about all successful people do) it is only a matter of time until you achieve ANY goal. 

Please reflect on this for a few days.  This one philosophy completely changed my life.

Filed under: Business and The Bible
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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Welcome to the August 11, 2007 edition of Carnival of Career Intensity.

Bhupendra Khanal presents Are you really paid enough? posted at Analytics Bhupe, saying, “Always work for yourself and keep yourself happy, and never compromise on anything while you work.”

Jack Yoest presents Close the Sale: Make the Pain Worse posted at Yoest.com, saying, “30% of people admitted to a hospital’s emergency room feel no pain. There might be a sucking chest wound or a missing limb, but nothing hurts. An anesthesiologist will still administer an anesthetic not only for the pain, which might come eventually, but to also still the patient. To keep the patient quiet, sedated, compliant. So even though the patient was not in pain, he still got a pain relieving solution. Sales is sometimes the same way. A solution to the customer’s problem should be provided even if the patient customer feels no pain. So how does the professional sales representative sell when there is no pain?”

Anna Farmery presents Talent is Like Chocolate posted at The Engaging Brand.

Warren Wong presents 8 Starting a New Job Tips posted at Personal Development for INTJs, saying, “Are you starting a new job? Here are some tips based on my own experiences.”

Charles H. Green presents Deer in the Headlights Decison-Making > Trusted Advisor Associates > Trust Matters posted at Trust Matters, saying, “When faced with surprise sebacks the way most people react is to just do the same thing - they freeze, and can’t adapt. Some people, however, can. Why?”

Adam presents Weekend Entrepreneur: If You Really Want Something Done, Find a Busy Person To Do It posted at Queercents, saying, “If you really want something done fast you should find a busy person to do it. At first it seems counterintuitive to seek busy people to get things done but another colleague of mine… said that he has noticed couples have children and then suddenly, seemingly without warning, complete major projects such as their graduate or doctorate programs. Striving for balance presents, or reinforces, an odd paradox. The notion of balance requires the presence of opposites. Opposites suggest the presence of competition. Work is the opposite of play. Career is the opposite of family. I’ve been troubled by the notion that career must oppose family – as if the two must compete for my attention. Shouldn’t one complement the other?”

The Career Counselor presents How to Stay Positive During a Job Search posted at ask the CareerCounselor.

Edith Yeung presents Know How to Ask for What you Deserve and Break the Glass Ceiling posted at Edith Yeung.Com: Dream. Think. Act..

Wilson Ng presents Going to the Top too fast posted at Reflections of a BizDrivenLife, saying, “Success is intoxicating, and we all desire it - if possible, we would like to have it thrust upon us as soon as possible. However, scaling up too fast can be dangerous, and success that is easily won can as easily be lost or worse, can hurt you as much as failure does.”

Ivan Rios presents Let Them Think posted at artofleading.net.

Health Chaos presents Hiring and Firing Staff posted at Health Chaos.

Vaibhav Gadodia presents 6 tips for success in the software industry posted at Habitually Good.

Christine Kane presents What’s Easy. What’s Not. posted at Christine Kane’s Blog

Arun presents Compete For Success posted at Arun is Bringing You…Your Daily Remedy, saying, “Try to be your most competitive self for life success!”

Matthew Paulson presents Sick of Your Job? What to Consider When Starting a New Career posted at Getting Green.

Brett McKay presents Make Your Resume Pop With These Resume Writing Tips posted at The Frugal Law Student

Alvaro Fernandez presents Training the Aging Workforce posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution, saying, “Careers are becoming longer than ever…and corporate training and personal development will need to evolve.”

Eric Boehme presents Things You Should NOT Do During an Interview posted at Surviving and Thriving (At Work and At Home).

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of Career Intensity using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: carnival of career intensity, blog carnival.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

This is a topic where I usually disagree with the conventional wisdom. 

I’m one of those people who throws himself into his work.  I like to build businesses that are “lifestyle” businesses – in other words the business fits in with my lifestyle and I tailor my work to match the way I live.  Because I am heavily invested in this philosophy I have absolutely no problem hiring my friends.  This allows me to work with people I like. 

In order to make this work I set strict rules for the working relationship. Here are some of the more important rules I set when I hire friends:

My friends are overpaid.  I don’t ever want money to be an issue between us so I make sure I go out of my way to pay my friend more than the “going rate” for a job.  I also make sure they know know that I am going the extra mile financially.

I only hire friends for jobs where they have no peers.  I don’t believe that you can have multiple people in the same position and one of those people is a personal friend and the others were just hired “off the street”.  This will kill morale.  If you are going to hire a friend they should be in a position that is unique.

My friends know that they don’t get the benefit of the doubt.  As a condition of their employment, friends must go above and beyond the call of duty each and every day.  If they don’t, they get fired.  Period.  There are no second chances.   Everyone in the outside world must think that I am harder on my friend than I am on everyone else.

I never give a friend a financial interest in the company.  This is a non-negotiable item.  I don’t like having partners.  Joint ventures are fine.  Sharing revenue is fine. But I never want to get myself into a situation where I have to continue working with someone because I’ve giving them a share of the company.

Now here are some qualifiers: 

First:  This only works in entrepreneurial situations.  This would never work in a corporate environment.  This will also be a disaster in any company you plan on taking public or soliciting outside investors to support.  If you own it, you can do whatever you want.

Next:  If you are a “Type A” control freak you shouldn’t hire your friends.  You’ll kill the business, the relationship and probably yourself.

Finally:  If you have any doubts about your ability to make tough, emotional decisions, you shouldn’t work with friends. If you have a hard time deciding what color to paint the office, you definitely don’t want the added difficulty of managing a relationship and a business.

Ultimately, if you’re the kid of person who enjoys sharing fun, laughs and business success with others, working with friends has definite advantages.  In may cases it can make going to work an absolute joy.

Filed under: Entrepreneurship - Success
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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Too many entrepreneurs don’t take time out to recharge their batteries.  They are busy working hard and making things happen to take time out for themselves. 

Many entrepreneurs suffer from a mental condition that prevents them from taking time off.  This is exactly the same condition that drives them toward success. They love their work. Their passion for it is what drives them.  But taking a short break can actually enhance that condition.

In case you know an entrepreneur who need to be convinced that a vacation is a “good thing” here are five practical reasons:

Time off stimulates creativity. You will be amazed at how your perspective on things changes if you relax and “unplug” for a few days. Sometimes we get so caught up in the day-to-day aspects of our business that we lose our perspective.  A vacation can help bring things back into focus.

A vacation renews passion. Take some time to remember why you got into business in the first place.  Separating yourself from the daily grind may help rekindle those feelings of desire that you had for the business way back when.

Your staff and clients may need a break too. Let’s face it, we all get on each other’s nerves from time to time.  Taking a break is good for everyone.  Just ask your team.

Reduce your stress and improve your health.  Stress is a killer.  Slowing down and taking a break can help reduce your stress level.  This is specifically the reason I recommend getting away at least twice per year.  Get out of the office and relax – even if you don’t go anywhere, you need a break. Trust me, it works.

Round out your life. Your family and friends miss you.  Why not spend some time with them?

Vacation is important.  If I had my way I would make it mandatory.  Get out of the office, the store or the factory for a few days.  In the end, your business will be better off because you did.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Entrepreneurs spend a good deal of time working on the day-to-day aspects of their business.  It is often difficult for them to spend time thinking about and planning for the future.   When they do take the time to write something down it is often a short term plan for achieving sales goals. Although I celebrate anytime a small business owner sets time aside to think about the future, there is one type of plan they should move to the top of the list. Every small business needs a succession plan.

It is critical that a business owner take the time to figure out how the business will continue on if something happens to him/her.  I counsel all my clients to have three different types of succession plans in place not only to make certain that their legacy continues but also to continue to serve their customers.  The three types of succession plans are:

Emergency Plan – This is a plan to keep the business operating for the immediate three months following the death of an owner.  Three months gives the owner’s partners or family an opportunity to catch their breath and figure out what to do next. What happens tomorrow if the business owner gets hit by a bus?  Who takes over?  What do they need to know?  What should they do in their first 30, 60 and 90 days?

Prepare and Sell Succession Plan – If the partners or family decide to sell the business, this plan details how the current owner would recommend they go about it.  All of the details of the business’s assets and financial agreements should be included with this plan. 

Legacy Succession Plan – This plan outlines how the business owner recommend that the business move forward without him/her.  This should be a forward looking document that is updated at least twice a year.   

Now this may seem like a little too much detail but believe me you’ll sleep better knowing that your business is protected.

For more on this topic check out the article from the Wall Street Journal titled Small Talk.

Technorati tags: career intensity, succession planning

Filed under: Entrepreneurship - Success
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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Welcome to the August 4, 2007 Edition of Carnival of Career Intensity.

Paula presents Just Lost Your Job? Top 6 Things You Need to Do Now posted at Queercents, saying, “You just got laid off or fired. You are shocked to say the least. You are not alone. It happens to thousands of people each year. What do you need to do to protect your finances now while laying the foundation for a smooth and successful transition to what’s next?”

Rich presents Gay Executive Life: the Politics of Early Days posted at Queercents, saying, “Another submission from Queercents… if you’ll accept two. This is part of Rich’s Gay Executive Life series.”

Charles H. Green presents Negotiation and the Short Term Performance Trap posted at Trust Matters, saying, “Leadership requires understanding how the short term very quickly becomes the long term, and how the long term determines short term success.”

edithyeung presents Know How to Ask for What you Deserve and Break the Glass Ceiling posted at Edith Yeung.Com: Dream. Think. Act..

Matt Hanson presents Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog » Blog Archive » Advertising Jingles and Commercials - Radio & TV posted at Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog, saying, “I offer some great tips to stop you from getting ripped off by advertising companies. It can happen if you don’t follow these simple rules. Thanks for providing the carnival.”

Ivan Rios presents 9 Surefire Ways to Be a Bad Leader posted at artofleading.net.

Chris Tackett presents How to Write a Headline and Grab Your Prospect by the Eyeballs! posted at Direct Marketing News, saying, “The art of writing headlines is important for direct marketing. I will cover how to come up with some great headlines just like the one I use in this article.”

Eric Hudin presents You Can Make More Working Less posted at Everyday Marketing Ideas, saying, “Time management is a myth. Time doesn’t stop. There is no managing something you can’t control. What you can do is eliminate your wasted movements to become more efficient and effective.”

Ruby presents Life Takes… Hard Work! posted at Advice and Rants.

Jane Chin presents A Danger of “Too Much Experience” posted at On Careers and Life, saying, “How often are you the victim of your own knowledge and experience?”

viju presents Choosing Software Testing as your Career posted at softwaretestinghelp.com, saying, “Do you want to make a good career in software or software testing or any field of your interest? Are you not getting the expected job? Learn more on how to get into the career of your choice. You should know some basics before going in any career field. What are those basics? Find out more ..”

Jason Rakowski presents How To Deliver Technical Support That Delights The End User, Part Two posted at Learn Good Customer Service, saying, “For computer companies technical support can make or break you. If you are in high-tech this is a must read.”

Laura Ricci presents Laura’s Winning Ideas » Elasticity in Critical Teams posted at Laura’s Winning Ideas, saying, “Proposal Teams are the most intense atmosphere in any business. The dedication necessary to produce winning proposals under grueling deadline takes a special person of vision and focus. This article advises managers on how to implement change without sabotaging the ability to produce.”

PicktheBrain presents How to Find Your Ideal Career posted at Pick the Brain.

Ivan Rios presents How to Deal With Envy posted at artofleading.net.

Matthew Paulson presents How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking posted at Getting Green.

Ted Reimers presents Best Facebook Applications for College posted at CampusGrotto.

Millionaire Mommy Next Door presents How I Became a Millionaire While Working In My Pajamas posted at Millionaire Mommy Next Door, saying, “I’ve received numerous emails from folks curious about the small businesses that I’ve managed from home. Here’s the story of my entrepreneurial experiences.”

FitBuff presents New York Jets Listen to Mozart on the Football Field posted at FitBuff.com’s Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog, saying, “Why should a hard-working businessman care what music is playing during an NFL practice? Good question, but I promise the premise ties into career intensity, possibly increasing productivity and cognitive ability.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of career intensity using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: carnival of career intensity, blog carnival.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Yesterday I was speaking with a client who told me a disturbing story.

Six months ago she hired a new manager for one of her successful retail stores. Since my client is a highly successful entrepreneur, she rarely works directly in any of her businesses. Instead she looks for competent professionals to run her businesses, pays them well and leaves the details to them. During a recent quarterly review of her profit and loss statement for that business, my client noticed a dramatic drop in monthly revenue.  Upon further investigation, she discovered that the manager had been stealing from the business for about three months.  The cost of the theft amounted to about $120,000 – and it continues to rise as her accountant uncovers more issues. As soon as the manager got wind that the business owner was looking into the books, she disappeared.

My client was furious.  She called the police who told her that the person she hired had a record of this type of behavior.

Where did my client go wrong?  It is impossible to know, in advance, if someone is a thief.  There are some steps you can take to avoid hiring a dishonest individual.  Here are 7 ways to avoid hiring a thief: 

1. Put a system in place for hiring and follow it.  Too many business owners fly by the seat of their pants when it comes to staffing.  They often do not think about hiring until an open position develops.  Creating a system and patiently following it will help keep discipline in the hiring process.  This discipline will help you make a good decision.
2. Interview Multiple Times.  Interview your candidate thoroughly then take some time and reflect upon his/her answers.  After you have thought about how they have answered, and after you have reviewed all of their background information, interview them again.  Ask the candidate questions about things in their background that concern you – like gaps in their employment history.  If there is nothing that concerns you about a candidate chances are good that you have not done enough research.  Everyone should have some minor things on their resume that you want to know more about. 
3. Ask for a Specific Reason Why they Left/ Want to Leave their Current Job. When you are interviewing a candidate ask him/her for specific examples of the reasons why they are leaving.  Ask the candidate to describe specific incidents that highlight the issues.  Details are difficult to fake.  If the candidate struggles with this question, it might be a red flag.  Think about it, most people can tell you hundreds of things that are wrong with their job.  Hesitation or refusal to answer this question MAY or MAY NOT mean that there were issues between them and their previous employer.  Use it as a point for further investigation.
4. Get a Second Opinion. Have someone else interview the candidate.  Getting a second or even third opinion on a new hire will definitely be helpful in making a decision.  Outstanding employees – “A” players are particularly helpful in this process.  Talent knows talent. Let some of your best folks talk to prospective employees during the hiring process. 
5. Use a Standardized Assessment.  There are several types of preemployment screening tools that are available.  Using one that is regularly validated can help you significantly reduce the risk of bad hires. Make certain that you give the assessment to everyone and that you use it early on in the interview process. 
6. “Google” the Candidate – This is the cheap version of a background check.  Searching through Google or Yahoo under the person’s name can help you locate any major issues that may be a part of the candidate’s past.  At worst, if the candidate was part of a major news story, it will appear when you do your search.  If some minor things show up – like some controversial postings on a message board – you can ask the candidate about then during the interview (if appropriate).
7. Check References – I am regularly surprised at ho