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Top 10 Recruiting Myths - Busted
Your business depends on your ability to make a good hire. But making a good hire is not exactly an easy task. After sorting through resumes and selecting the few choice candidates considered worth your time is only half the battle.
Resolution Roadblocks? Small Businesses That Can Help Keep You On Track
And so it goes. Another year in the rearview, slowly or quickly moving out of sight, depending on just how much boogie you've got under the hood. At this point your engine is just warming up, but you've got the window down, a little Van Morrison pouring out of the speakers, and miles of possibility ahead.
Okay, so maybe it's just me with the Van Morrison.
At any rate, before 2007 actually got rolling, before I started nodding and tapping out the rhythm of "Sweet Thing" on the steering wheel, before I really started making plans and looking at the months ahead, there was New Year's Eve, 2006. Music and dancing and laughing and toasts and kisses as all of us again counted down from ten to one with cheers and clapping instead of singing because no one really knows that song.
And there were promises. New Year's Resolutions, that is.
Some people make them, with hope or commitment or fist-pounding determination that this year, this year is going to be the one. Some don't, adamantly opposed for as many reasons as there are resolutions. However, for those of us who do, keeping them can sometimes present a few challenges. Willpower, circumstance, changing needs, or a multitude of other roadblocks can all break a New Year's Resolution faster than you can ask, "Got a light?"
But maybe, just maybe, one of the challenges in keeping a New Year's Resolution is a lack of resources. How to get it done? Where to go? What possibilities or options exist? If that's the case, read on. What follows is a list of small businesses (less than $50 million in revenue) that just might provide a nudge in the right direction.
Resolution: Get in Shape
Every year millions of Americans take a gander at themselves in the mirror as the holidays are drawing to a close and have a rather rude awakening. Where did that come from? Or, there are those that while trim look to get fit and healthy. Either way, these two small businesses can help.
Based in Nicholsasville, KY, Contours Express, LLC provides women-only fitness facilities in over 360 centers nationwide. Founded in 1998, this women's gym offers a unique Cardiofit 29-minute workout and offers live Webinars about Franchise opportunities.
For fitness on a corporate level, Connecticut-based Healthtrax, Inc. provides fitness centers, wellness programs, traditional medical services and rehabilitation to individuals and companies across the northeast.
Resolution: Make More Time for "Me"
Somewhere between the conference calls, the quarterly reviews, shuffling the kids here or there, or any one of the million things that seem to eat up your day, most people would offer their kingdom for just a few moments of peace and quiet. The following two small businesses offer just that - at home or on the town.
When the workday is over and you've found your way back home, HoMedics, Inc. looks to provide wellness through a wide range of relaxation and therapy products. Offering massage devices, spa and beauty products, sleep therapy and more, this small business gives you a reason to stay in for the night.
If, on the other hand, you find yourself walking the streets of New York and looking for a quick snooze to get that spring back in your step, NapCentre LLC might be just the ticket. Doing business as MetroNaps, this small company provides napping centers with ergonomic, semi-private sleeping pods.
Resolution: Give Back to Society
At some point, we all feel it. Things have been going well for a while, karma seems to have stopped kicking us in the gut, at least for now, and there's a little tickle in the back of our mind that says maybe we should turn our attention to broader issues and lend our knowledge or strengths to the greater good. The small businesses below are great opportunities to help you do just that.
Now in existence for over 40 years, Reading is Fundamental, Inc. is the country's largest and oldest children's nonprofit literacy organization. Based in Washington, D.C., this group provides reading motivation, family and community involvement, and free books and literacy resources. Visit www.rif.org for more information.
Based in Austin, Texas, the Lance Armstrong Foundation provides cancer diagnosis and treatment options, emotional support and counseling, assistance in dealing with financial issues, and various other resources. For information on how you can help, visit www.livestrong.org
Resolution: Start Saving for Retirement
Not too long ago I saw a commercial where an older couple, either really sharp or disgustingly lucky, boarded a yacht named College Fund and set sail towards the distance. Yeah, that looked pretty nice. If you're starting to think a yacht of your own would sound nice one day, too, the next small business might be able to help. Of course, what you name her is up to you.
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. is a subsidiary of A.G. Edwards, Inc. that caters to small investors, as well as larger, corporate clients, and provides asset management, financial and retirement planning, insurance products, and securities and commodities trading.
Resolution: Focus on Career Advancement
However, long before the yacht is a possibility, the right career is a must. Whether you're ready to move up to the next level or you're simply ready to try something new, the following small businesses might be a good place to start.
FutureStep, Inc. focuses on mid-level management, providing recruitment process outsourcing, project recruitment, interim solutions, and mid-level recruitment. Based in Los Angeles, Futurestep was founded in 1998 and currently has offices in 17 countries.
Based in Irvine, CA, BridgeGate LLC provides executive search services serving mid and senior level needs across a range of industries. Founded in New York in 1967, BridgeGate relocated to California in the 1980's.