Alex Lee, Inc.’s Post

“We don’t hire people to bake brownies, we bake brownies to hire people.” I've posted about Greyston Bakery before, having met CEO Joseph Kenner at an event in Rome, but their "Open Hiring" approach is so novel that it came back into view again this year and is worth sharing. At Greyston, job seekers put their name on a list and when the next opening comes up, they get the job, no questions asked, no background checks or anything. What they are doing is unlocking human potential through inclusive employment. The magic question: how does a 40 year old company that bakes brownies for Unilever, Ben & Jerry's’s and Whole Foods Market keep their standards high enough to meet stringent customer requirements with this kind of hiring policy? A lot of it has to do with gratitude and loyalty. Greyston employees in many instances have been given a second chance at life, and they deliver because they're proud to have an opportunity that no one else was prepared to give them. This comes together in a magical way: employee engagement, profitability and social responsibility working hand in hand. It’s very courageous and bold, it's also very impactful. And who doesn't like brownies? Applying our minds, what other industries could this work in? Check out https://www.greyston.org/ if you want to learn more... #openhiring #animarem #consciousbusiness #strategy #purpose Conscious Capitalism, Inc. B for Good Leaders B Lab U.S. & Canada

The cashier at my local Publix rang these up for me—a bit amazed that I was buying the all-black jelly beans. He asked me if I knew what I was buying. “Yes” He asked me if I actually liked them. “Yes. I wait for them all year” He said I had never met anyone who liked the black licorice jelly beans. “Well, now you have” If he'd asked one more question, “Why do you wait for them all year?” he would have learned they were also my grandpa’s favorite and that I bought him a bag every year since the first year I had a job. Now I buy them in his memory, fondly remember enjoying them with him while we sat at the dining room table and watched the spring songbirds nest in the birdhouses he'd built in his backyard. A good lesson in talent acquisition… be genuinely curious. I get it... time is of the essence in so many ways. But in taking the time to learn the things your candidate didn't include in their resume, you can start to determine if the role they've applied for fits their needs... or if they're better suited to something neither of you'd considered before. And, suffice to say, since #YouAreWhoYouHire, you're growing yourself as well as your candidate. Sow your seeds (or jelly beans) and see what grows. #HiringWithoutBoundaries #TalentAcquisition #Recruiting #HiringForSkills #RelationshipBuilding #Networking

According to recent data obtained from LinkedIn and Indeed, retail food companies operating in Jefferson County have reported the highest number of job postings in the last month. The data analysis was made on the businesses listed in the Jeffco 500 over the last three months. On average, the retail food sector offered 170 jobs per company.

What was your first job? Mine was at a Fabric and Haberdashery shop at age 16. I asked my team this question, here's what we found out: Someone helped their parent at a weekend market stall, another at McDonalds, a few waited tables. A short and sweet glimpse into shared - or varied - experience. Ice Breakers are fun. I'm telling you. You learn so much! You may even try asking your customers or friends. Could lead to a very interesting conversation. Tell me, what was your first job? Why did you love it or loathe it? #teambuilding #icebreakers #customersuccess #workculture #myfirstjob

Outside of working at the family business, my first job was at Tops Supermarket in my hometown of Lancaster, NY. I was 15 when I started and it is a job I have fond memories of…making the 10 minute bike ride to work for what usually was a 4 hour shift as a cashier. "Paper or plastic?" "Any coupons?" "Were you able to find everything you were looking for today?" Between working at the family business, this experience at Tops, and later working at Famous Footwear, I had 3 retail jobs in high school. And for those of you that have worked in retail (yes, pharmacy, but beyond as well) you know well the teacher that it can be. At 15 years old, this experience at Tops as a cashier taught me the basics on what it meant to show up on time, to receive feedback, to communicate effectively, the connection between work and money, and to be accountable to something and someone other than myself. And, as a bonus, from this experience I can impress my boys from time to time with a random produce code I still have memorized 😀 The “you have your whole life to work” saying has good intentions but is missing the mark. Yes, with too much work one can miss out on other formative experiences but let’s not take that too far…the right dose of work is incredibly valuable for a teenager. No class in high school came close to teaching me as much as I learned from those 3 jobs. What was your first job and what did you learn from that experience? Comment below ⬇

Opportunity

Opportunity

Meet Caleb! One of our dedicated Baristas in our Pyrmont Support Centre ☕ We sat down with Caleb to talk about his career journey and why he loves working at Hanes: Q: How did you get your job at Hanes?  A: AimBig Employment helped me on my job search. I've had two other barista roles previously before getting my current role at Hanes. Q: How did you find the recruitment and onboarding process? A: Everyone was really helpful, I transitioned into the role very easily and felt very welcome. I was given a tour of the office and got to help figure out a good spot for the coffee machine with the support of my job coach. Overall the process was quick and easy which I really liked. Q: What's your favourite part about your role and working at Hanes? A: Getting to meet and talk to lots of new people all the time. I like making coffees for the friends I've made and get to hear about their day-to-day. I've also enjoyed having the chance to set up systems and routines that work for me in my role, I feel like my own boss a little bit! Q: Do you have any advice for anyone with a disability who's starting a new job? A: Be happy and open to feedback, I always ask if anything I'm doing can be improved so I can do the best job possible. #beingoodcompany #goodpeople #goodimpact #goodcareers

The first job I had was repo/demo, then I went on to do framing/flooring, then general contracting (under a contractor), Nordstrom rack (Westlake aka a store clerk nightmare), then Nordstrom selling shoes, then bartending. I also washed dishes throughout college. Here are the biggest 2 takeaways from working customer service and physical labor jobs: 1) When you work a job that is physically challenging that you do not necessarily enjoy, it teaches tenacity and humility. 2) When you work a job that requires you to cater towards people in this world it opens your eyes to how difficult it is to be a server, store clerk, or any other role in customer service. You become a more empathetic person. Both of these lessons have had a major impact on who I am as a person, how I treat others, and how I go about business now.

There are few CFOs in recent—or not recent—business history who rival Costco’s Richard Galanti. I love a couple of pieces of GOLD NUGGETS he shared: •   Experiment, always. “We’re constantly trying new things, evolving the concept. The original Costco, for instance, had no fresh foods, very little in refrigerated foods, no pharmacy, food courts, gas stations, high-end jewelry or large products like mattresses and appliances.” •   A KPI worth watching. “I’ll miss this place. I tell college students thinking about their careers that when they get a job interview, they should try to show up 20 minutes early to visit the lunchroom. If most everyone has a smile on their face, it tells you they love what they do. I do. All these years, and I still love my job.” I have been an HR & Employee Benefits consultant for almost 20 years, and I've never thought of showing up early to an interview to visit the lunchroom. But this may be one of the best pieces of advice you'll ever get. It gives you a chance to see other employees and taste and feel the company's culture first-hand. Learn how to attract & retain the BEST employees, visit #blackrockbenefits