Boxing Day, the anti-climactic day following the Christmas adrenaline high, is my favorite day of year.
The origin of Boxing Day is not definitively known, but it may come from the traditional opening on that day of Anglican Church poor boxes that had been filled during Advent. Another possibility is that it arose ...
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No one is surprised when the financial function of an organization goes through an audit process. It’s standard practice. However, when it comes to the human resources function, not so much! As much as business intelligence and the perspective about the human resources function have changed over the years, the fact of the matter is, human resources departments are still significant cost centers. ...
Continue Reading →What do the following jobs have in common? Pool and Beach Worker, Procurement Intern, Electrical Designer, and Logistics Co-ordinator. Truthfully, not that much. But what is most apparent is that none of these jobs support an application for a senior executive position in finance. Yet, our executive search team sees increasing numbers of applications for senior management positions from candidates who are woefully not qualified for the job posted. The applicants are hopefuls who have no experience in the functional ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Peggie Koenig
We analyzed the results and trends of the 2014 Koenig Trades Compensation Survey with the recently published 2013 Saskatchewan Wage Survey. Nine key trades covered in our survey and included in the comments below are: ccarpenters, electricians, heavy duty mechanics, industrial mechanics/millwrights, light duty mechanics (auto, truck), machinists, plumbers, steamfitters/pipefitters, and welders.
Our key findings based on the comparison are as follows:
The baby boomer generation has long been characterized by the demographers as the generation that runs hard. As many baby boomers retire or are contemplating retirement, more and more individuals in this generation are seeking coaching to help them develop a new purpose or focus for their lives. When you don’t have to be at work every day, and the joy of lounging at the beach or travel wears thin, the walls can start to press in as you try ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Peggie Koenig
We are very excited to be embarking on a major renovation at our new building in Saskatoon. Although we fondly refer to our little project as “the money pit”, the transformation of this industrial building into a modern space with “old world” touches has been energizing. The staff are looking forward to having roomy offices and finally, a staff room. I ...Posted by: Coralee Bulani
The early phases of anyone’s career tend to be one giant learning curve. As you apply the theories and material you learned in the class room to real life situations, the impact isn’t just on “Company ABC” anymore. This learning curve is a crucial piece of the professional you are shaping up to be. When you were in the classroom, your professors directed you to information and it was up to you to learn it and understand it. Every individual ...
Continue Reading →In my previous blog I wrote about an anomaly commonly found in the labour market that discriminates against young business professionals and trades people, referred to as “5 year curse”. To bring everyone up to speed, I define the “5 year curse” as the assumption in the business world that in order to interview qualified applicants for available positions they must have a minimum of 5 years experience.
As a young professional with only 3 years of experience, I would like to take this ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Coralee Bulani
What is so magic about that 5 year mark? It seems as though there is a stigma in the business world that 5 years experience is a standard before a candidate will be considered for hire. So how do you get the experience if all employers are wearing the 5 year blinders?
I think most business professionals would agree that “entry level” is considered less than three years’ experience. The perception that five years’ experience is magic seems arbitrary at best. ...
Continue Reading →What do you do when your talent goes down the road because the competition is paying more? You look at your total rewards program, or lack thereof and determine what you can offer to attract and retain employees in a highly competitive labour market. A Total Rewards Program is a strategic tool that should be in your arsenal.
Besides losing technical skills, business intelligence, and productivity, your company faces a highly competitive labour market and a high probability that the position ...
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