What we can learn about focus from a professional cliff diver

What we can learn about focus from a professional cliff diverWhat we can learn about focus from a professional cliff diverThe thought of diving off a27-meter platform eight stories above open water would stress most people out but for David Colturi sitting in a cubicle invokes much more fear.I am scared of the potential consequences of a cliff dive gone wrong, he said. Almost as much as having to hold a 9 to 5 office job.The California-based diver is the former US national 10m champion and was the youngest diver to appear in a full World Series in 2012, the youngest diver to finish on the podium and the youngest diver to win an event. Ladders spoke with Colturi ahead of the first Cliff Diving World Series stop inTexasabout his immense focus when he dives, dealing with nerves and how he approaches his career.On making those 90-foot leapsfruchtwein days its easy because I truly love what I do that feeling of flying, flipping, and twisting through the air, its like nothing else in this world. There are some days where I need a little extra motivation though, or the conditions are harsher and scarier than usual. Those are the days I need to dig deep, stay calm and in the moment, and focus on the task at hand.On dealing with setbacksCompartmentalizing and Self Talk are two cognitive tools I like to use when things get rough. Package that setback or baddiveup and put it at the back of your mind to deal with later. Its easy to go down the analysis road and beat yourself up immediately after a baddive however, if you can put it away for later, and build yourself up for the next immediate task, youll have a better chance at getting back on track and succeeding down the road. Positive Self Talk and just being mindful of your thoughts, in general, will keep you in a better mood and mindset for any situation.On finding the focusOne of my favorite quotes my college coach used to always tell me was, If you focus on the things you cant control, it will adversely affect the th ings you can control. Its easy to get caught up in environmental stimuli, other peoples actions or behavior, but if you stay within yourself and stay in the moment youll have a much better chance at success. To get away from all the outside noise I like to find a quiet place or put my headphones in, and meditate or visualize my next tasks.On dealing with nervesHaving a process and staying in the moment is key to dealing with fear and nerves. So many people get caught up worrying about the past, or focusing on an outcome, that they become overwhelmed with whats going on currently. Plan for a big day ahead of time, trust your process, stay calm and focused, and most of all keep it simple.On skills and mental toolsAll of these skills Ive mentioned above can be used in professional and social settings compartmentalizing, positive self-talk, meditation, visualization, and staying in the moment are all factors of high performance whether in athletics, business, or your personal life, all of these tools can be used to help you be at your best, and enjoy life at its greatest potential.On what he wished someone had told him at the beginning of his careerJust how fast it goes (which of course, Im sure someone did). I cant believe Ill be competing in my 7th season ofCliffDivingthis year. Enjoy the ride, work hard, and ask for help when you need it. Its crazy how fast life goes by, and itll be over before we know it.

Emotional Uber CEO promises to revamp its corporate culture

Emotional Uber CEO promises to revamp its corporate cultureEmotional Uber CEO promises to revamp its corporate cultureA former female engineer at Uber made explosive claims of sexual harassment at the company - and CEO Travis Kalanick responded to the public embarrassment by hiring no less than a former US Attorney General to investigate.Former Uber engineer Susan J. Fowler wrote an explosive blog postover the weekend that startled many Uber users with a description of pervasive sexual harassment.The widely-shared post this weekend included the detail that the company issued leatherbei jackets to men on the team, but left out women because they could not get a comparable group discountFowler also alleged that her former manager described his open relationship with his girlfriend in an attempt to solicit a sexual relationship with her, and added that the companys human resurces team declined to take action because the manager was a high performer. Fowler said the companys human resou rces representative told her that it was his first offense - a claim she later discovered was false after speaking with other female employees who said the same manager had also propositioned them.With no action taken against her manager, Fowler was given a choice either leave the team, or stay and possibly get a negative performance review from her manager, who was aware of her complaint.The blog post generated a range of responses from Silicon Valley and the tech community, nearly universally critical of Uber.Kalanick responded immediately on Twitter to Fowlers post, saying, Whats described here is abhorrent against everything we believe in. Anyone who behaves this way or thinks this is OK will be fired.Ive instructed our chief human resources officer Liane Hornsey to conduct an urgent investigation. There can be absolutely no place for this kind of behavior at Uber.Later, Kalanick said in a memo that former US Attorney General Eric Holder will examine the ex-employees claims, a nd diversity and inclusion at Uber more broadly.Kalanick said Ubers technology teams have consistently included about 15% women.Facebook is at 17%, Google at 19%, and Twitter is at 15%.He said the company would publish a diversity report in coming months.Arianna Huffington, a board member of Uber, told staff on Tuesday that the company was trying to fix its mistakes. Travis spoke very honestly about the mistakes hes made - and about how he wants to take the events of the last 48-hours to build a better Uber. It was great to see employees unternehmensverbund managers accountable. I also view it as my responsibility to hold the leadership teams feet to the fire on this issue. Change doesnt usually happen without a catalyst. I hope that by taking the time to understand whats gone wrong and fixing it we can not only make Uber better but also contribute to improvements for women across the industry.Holder, now a partner at law firm Covington Burling, is making a name for himself as a fixer for discrimination problems at Silicon Valley companies. He previously crafted an anti-discrimination policy for Airbnb, another billion-dollar startup that took a hit to its reputation after Harvard Business School researchers found that guests with distinctively African-American names had trouble getting approved for places to stay on the platform.The highly circulated post intensified criticism of the company. Uber has had a rough month, trying to rebound from a damaging Delete Uber campaign by customers displeased with the CEOs political involvement.Fowlers claims have become part of a larger ongoing conversation about the treatment of female employees - especially in the Silicon Valley tech community.Ellen Pao, a former employee at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, who lost a gender discrimination lawsuit against the company in 2015 and has become a voice supporting anti-discrimination measures in the tech world. Pao responded to the Uber controversy on Twitter by saying, people do talk privately. Too many heartbreaking stories. I hope all CEOs are paying attention it is probably at your startup too.

How to Finally Stop Procrastinating Forever

How to Finally Stop Procrastinating ForeverHow to Finally Stop Procrastinating Forever Who among us hasnt put off a presentation until the night before it was due, or started a project weeks after you told yourself you would? Everyone falls victim to procrastination at some point or another, but if its happening enough to affect your quality of life or work performance , its time to think about changing your behavior.The good news is, theres reason to be hopeful. Even lifelong procrastinators can overcome decades of bad habits with the right attitude and strategies. Of course, this is much easier said than done - but weve identified a few tips and tricks that will make it a whole lot easier.Whether youre a born-and-bred procrastinator or its just recently surfaced as a bad habit, the following expert tips will help you nip procrastination in the bud for good.Its difficult to solve a problem when you dont understand whats behind it - otherwise, your attempts to reco ncile your behavior may amount to nothing more than a Band-Aid solution. Take a good hard look at yourself and your habits to determine why you procrastinate. One of the most common reasons is fear, experts say.Sometimes its a harsh inner critic or perfectionist that spews negative thoughts like, youre not good enough or youre going to screw it up. If you havent developed a system or method for pushing through those sticking points, it can be hard to get anything done, says psychotherapist Tom Bruett .Other times, doing a task youre not looking forward to can just feel downright painful - literally.Research has found out that when you are ready to start a perceived-as-unpleasant task, the actual pain centers in your brain light up, shares Dimitris Gkiokas, founder of The Metalearners . It is only natural that your brain, at that moment, makes its best effort to avoid the task and the pain it is what it is programmed to do.No matter whats driving your procrastination, understandin g it can inform which strategy will best help you address the issue.If this is your first time trying to tackle procrastination in earnest, there are a number of small changes you can make in your daily life that can have a big impact.Get Organized As a stubborn teenager, I used to refuse to use a planner, insisting I could keep track of everything in my head. It was only when I started really tracking my to-dos in college that I realized how silly that was - being organized helped me stay on track. Whether it means keeping a list, writing on Post-Its or a productivity app , find something that works for you, Bruett says. Write down all your tasks, and tackle them in order of priority.Eliminate Distractions It may seem like a no-brainer, but many procrastinators fail to truly remove themselves from the people, things and situations that divert their attention. Close your email client, shut off any Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn (etc.) notifications, silence your ringer, shut off th e television, etc. If you need noise, play instrumental or classical music, says Maura Thomas , author of Personal Productivity Secrets.Start Small Breaking large tasks into baby steps is a much less intimidating way to tackle a project. Career coach Carlota Zimmerman recommends doing at least two small acts each day. Do those two acts and write them down - I encourage clients to keep Action Diaries, so as to have a (paper) trail of their acts, since its very encouraging and empowering, she says. The rush you get from one small win often motivates you to continue your good behavior.Reward Yourself Theres a reason teachers used to put gold stars on excellent tests and essays - those small rewards work Use positive reinforcement to motivate yourself to achieve your goals, Bruett says. If you keep on track for a whole week, maybe reward yourself with a massage or a nice dinner.Lifelong procrastinators might be tempted to roll their eyes at the suggestion of using a planner or tu rning off their cell phone notifications. If youve already been there and done that, try out these more sophisticated tips.Try Stream of Consciousness Working Many procrastinators are, at heart, perfectionists , unable to take action until theyve figured out exactly what to stay or do. But you might be surprised at how effective it can be to dive into a project before youve fully fleshed it out. Thomas suggests taking a stream of consciousness approach, in which you simply start dumping out all of your ideas for a set period of time without pausing to refine, clarify or reorganize. Our brains are much better at creative, strategic thinking and problem-solving than they are at remembering details, and if we clear our mind of the minutiae (mental clutter), the good stuff often appears, Thomas shares.Hold Yourself Accountable If youre the type of person who finds it way easier to fulfill a promise to a friend than a promise to yourself, try seeking out an accountability buddy. For a dded motivation, raise the stakes, suggests Sarah Moe, business and money coach at Flauk . Create a deadline with a friend or coach and make the consequences for not finishing the task something you would hate, such as writing them a check, doing your least-favorite chore or cutting yourself off from TV for a week. When you have to own up to the fact to another person that you procrastinated, youll never do it again, Moe adds.spektrum Your Calendar Been meaning to tackle a particular task for while, but just cant seem to find the time for it? Try scheduling dedicated periods of time in which you are allowed to do nothing but the task at hand. To do this successfully, Thomas recommends not making your time-blocks too long (two hours or less), only blocking off time for the highest-priority items, and limiting how often you do so. Otherwise, youll start breaking those appointments with yourself, and then youll have lost the effectiveness of the technique, she explains.Learn to Toler ate Discomfort In the end, theres no way around it - overcoming procrastination will almost always involve doing something you dont like. Too often, people put tasks off simply because theyre a drag. But if you learn to accept that, you may have an easier time doing it. To change, you need to shift from doing something pleasant, then feeling badly afterward to doing something unpleasant, then feeling better afterwards, says psychotherapist Karen R. Koenig .When one tactic fails you, its easy to get discouraged. You might feel like a screw-up, or become convinced that your procrastination is just an insurmountable part of who you are. But buying into this negative thinking can stop you from overcoming an otherwise totally fixable problem.If you try a strategy to overcome procrastination and it fails, conduct a post-mortem, Bruett recommends. Be really honest with yourself about what didnt work. Where were the exact sticking points? Was it lack of motivation ? Did you have trouble with the system you tried? Problem solve and get some additional support from a coach or therapist.And remember, not everything works for everyone, Gkiokas says. Every person is different and faces different levels of procrastination. You should try different things, and use your experience to identify what works.fruchtwein of all, keep in mind that falling off the wagon is normal, and happens to almost everybody at some point.Any behavior change will take trial and error. Account for that and dont beat yourself up if you dont succeed on the first go around, Bruett concludes.

Top Industries With the Most Wage Stagnation

Top Industries With the Most Wage StagnationTop Industries With the Most Wage StagnationWhat is wage stagnation and how does it impact your income? It may be surprising to hear that wages have grown very little in the recent past, despite news stories of a booming stock market, alow unemployment rate,and heightened economic growth. Deregulationandtax relief forbusinessesand individualsare credited with stimulating corporate growth and hiring. Flashy news stories following the announcement of thetax cut plan, referenced corporations like ATT, Comcast, Home Depot, Southwest, American Airlines, Travelers, and Walmart allawarding bonuses to employees. These headlines painted a picture of dramatically increasing compensation. What is Wage Stagnation? Data on wage increases reveal a different slant to compensation trends. Wage stagnation occurs when there isnt asustained increase in wagesinrealterms, even when the economy is doing well based on other economic measures. Data from variou s surveys indicate a very modest growth in income, and some sources actually show a decline (or atbestno increase) in wages wheninflationis factored into the equation. Measures for real wage increases show that over the past 15 years,many workers- especially low- and middle-income earners -have gained little or no purchasing power after inflation. Causes of Wage Stagnation There is little agreement among experts about the reasons for wage stagnation Some economists believe thatrising health care costshave limited the ability of employers to increase wages.The decline of manufacturing,increases in automation,and the shift to lower-wage service jobs are also cited as factors.The diminished influence oflabor unionshas impacted the ability of blue-collar workers to pressure employers for higher wages.Some experts point to the relatively low level of educational attainment in the United States compared with other industrialized countries.Globalization and outsourcing have enabled emp loyers to identify cheaper sources of labor outside the country. Theemergence of thegig economyand the availability of cheaper freelance labor are also believed by some to suppress wages. Wage Stagnation Based on Income Level ThePew Research Centeruses data from theU.S. Bureau of Labor Statisticsto make the argument that employee wages have stagnated for the past 40 years. Their data indicate that the median usual weekly earnings rose from $232 in the first quarter of 1979 to $879 in the second quarter of 2018. In real, inflation-adjusted terms, that same$232 in 1979 had the equivalent purchasing power to $840 in todays dollars, which means there hasbeen very littleactual increase in earnings. Pew reports that fruchtwein wage gains have gone to the highest earners. Since 2000, usual weekly wages have risen 3 percent (in real terms, before inflation) among workers in the lowest 10 percent of the earnings distribution and 4.3 percent among the lowest 25 percent of wage earners. Am ong workers in the top 10 percent of the distribution, real wages have risen a cumulative 15.7 percent to $2,112 a week nearly five times the usual weekly earnings of the bottom tenth ($426). More Income, Less Buying Power PayScale, a leader in precise on-demand cloud compensation data and software for businesses and individuals, has also developed an index that tracks real wage growth and stagnation.It reveals an even more negative picture of wage growth. PayScale reports that since 2006, wages have risen 12.9 percent overall in the U.S., butwhen you factor in inflation, real wages have actually fallen by9.3 percent. In other words, the income for a typical worker today buys them less than it did in 2006.The PayScale Real Wage datenbankindexincorporates theConsumer Price Index(CPI) into The PayScale Index (which tracks nominal wages) and looks at the buying power of wages for full-time private industry workers in the U.S. The index data for the third quarter of 2018 indicated that real wages had actually declined by 1.8 percent since the third quarter of 2017. The PayScale data again showed that blue-collar workers experienced the lowest wage growth. Industry Trends in Wage Stagnation The PayScale Indexranks the year-over-year wage growth in 15 industries as of the third quarter of 2018.Growth ranges from 1.7 percent in the real estate sector at the high end,to -1.7 percent for transportation/warehousing at the low end. Industries with a complex service orientation and relatively low impact from globalizationhave accrued the highest wagegains. Theseindustriesinclude technology, engineering/science,and finance/insurance.Sectors like manufacturing, transportation, and health care (where workers have diminished leverage)have tended to lag. The complete ranking of year-over-year industry wage growth figures is as follows Real Estate 1.7%Technology 1.6%Engineering/Science 1.5%Finance/Insurance 1.2%Retail/Customer Service 1.2%Nonprofits 1.1%Agencies and Co nsultancies 0.9%Education 0.4%Construction -0.2%Health Care -0.2%Arts/Entertainment/Recreation -0.2%Energy and Utilities -0.4%Accommodation and Food Services -0.4%Manufacturing -0.7%Transportation/Warehousing -1.0% Occupational Trends for Wage Stagnation The PayScale Index for occupationstracks 19 job categories and found that growth ranged from 3.5 percent in the marketing and advertising field to -3.8 percent in transportation occupations. Occupations with high knowledge and skill requirements like accounting/finance, information technology, and science tended to fare better than areas where workers could more easily be replaced, and which are now less likely to have union leverage.Fields like transportation, manufacturing, installation/maintenance/repair, and food service showed wagedeclines. The complete ranking of year-over-year occupational wage growth figures is as follows Marketing and Advertising 3.5%Accounting and Finance 1.8%Social Service 1.6%Information Technology 1 .3%Science and Biotech 1.2%Art and Design 1.1%Media and Publishing 1.1%Human Resources1.0%Retail 1.0%Architecture and Engineering 0.9%Administrative and Clerical 0.7%Legal 0.4%Sales -0.4%Construction -0.5%Health Care Practitioners/Technical Health Care -0.8%Food Service -0.9%Installation/Maintenance/Repair -1.6%Manufacturing and Production -3.1%Transportation -3.8%

93% of Recruiters Screen Job Seekers on Social Media

93% of Recruiters Screen Job Seekers on Social Media93% of Recruiters Screen Job Seekers on Social MediaIf you thought the only people checking out your Facebook profile were your friends, family, and a few exes, think again. Its estimated that a staggering 93 percent of recruiters screen job seekers on social media as a way in which to evaluate potential job candidates.Recruiters Screen Job Seekers on Social MediaJobvite recently released their Jobvite 2014 Social Recruiting Survey Infographic- and results are eye-opening. Job recruiters believe that perusing the social media profiles of job applicants can give them a better overall picture of who the person is- far beyond what they can learn about them from their resume and cover letter, and even what they reveal about themselves in a job interview.More importantly, job recruiters are basing their decisions about whether they should be hired- or elend- on what theyre seeing about the candidates ansprechbar. Thats why mora than half (55 percent) of recruiters have reconsidered a candidate based on their social media profile.Since job recruiters anticipate increased job competition in their own markets in 2015, they are upping the ante by investing more time in areas such as social recruiting (73 percent), referrals (63 percent), and mobile (51 percent). And their efforts are paying off recruiters who use social media recruitment report an increase in candidate quality (44 percent), candidate quantity (44 percent), and improved time to hire (34 percent).As for job seekers, something important to keep in mind is how recruiters are using the Internet to post positions and find suitable job candidates. Recruiters are predominantly using mobile to post jobs (22 percent), search for candidates (36 percent), contact candidates (41 percent), post jobs on social media (30 percent), and forward candidates/resumes to colleagues (40 percent).Now that you know that almost all job recruiters screen job seekers on social med ia, it makes sense that you should up your online efforts, too. Here are three ways in which you can make your social media profiles look as polished as possible.How to Keep Your Profiles Employer FriendlyBe up to date. Sure, you signed up for LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google+. But thats where it stopped. You barely updated your LinkedIn profile, and as for Google+, well, you cant remember your login info. Even though it may seem like extra work- and it definitely is- its important to keep your profiles up to date at all times. By not adding fresh content, it can come across to a potential recruiter that youre not good with following through or that you may have a problem staying on top of your work. So even if its just once a week, send out a tweet or publish a new post on LinkedIn to keep your profiles current.Be professional. Lets face it youve been somewhat lackadaisical about which Facebook posts you keep as private and which ones are public. But even a semi-questionable post or p ic can make or break you getting hired for a job. While it may be uber time-consuming, its critical that you go through your Facebook profile (and any other social media channels) and remove anything that could be a deterrent in getting you a job interview. And while you might be tempted to simply delete your accounts and start over new, you shouldnt. After all, not having any social media profiles can come across as slightly suspicious.Be personable. While its ideal to present yourself in the best light possible online, that doesnt mean that you should strip away all aspects of your personality, either. Job recruiters are looking online to find out who you really are beyond a business suit and a smile, so be sure to give them glimpses into your personality. Simply be aware of anything that could come across as incendiary (such as political views, etc.) but still be true to who you are.Since recruiters are using social media to find and hire job candidates, make sure that your onlin e job search meets them where they are by having up-to-date, professional (and yes, personal) profiles that show them youre the right candidate for the job.Readers, how concerned are you that employers screen job seekers on social media? Is yours employer friendly? Leave a comment and let us know

Find Out Whos Concerned About Entry Level Sales Resume and Why You Should Care

Find Out Whos Concerned About Entry Level Sales Resume and Why You Should Care Your no-experience resume is the sole introduction you have before landing that coveted job interview, therefore its critical that you make a great impression and provide a well-rounded look at your abilities and talents. Stick to the tips above, and youll have a resume that compensates for the absence of knowledge and gets you the interview. Therefore, its best if youve got an outgoing, energetic personality. It should demonstrate your abilities and illustrate why you are the perfect candidate for the position because of your experience and traits. Despite the fact that the work seeker has over six decades of expertise, and it has worked in three or more positions, her resume is only a single page long. Get the resume you have to land the job you have earned Even when you have little to no work experience, you are able to leise find methods to emphasize your abilities and education to demonstrate y our capacity to do the work well. Thus, you will need experience to find an entry-level job, but minus the job, you cant get experience. If you would like to receive a foot in the door at your initial entry-level job, you want to convince employers that the abilities and experiences that you acquired during your time in school can help you turn into a star employee in their opinion. To stand out, you are going to want to earn your experience and skills shine. Emphasize skills youve developed over recent decades. The work designation a lot of the time does not need prior experience and professional backgrounds. You should make certain to emphasize any work in sale you have, even supposing it isnt directly pertinent to auto sales. Part of sales a prosperous entry-level sales resume is write time into activities associated with sales that will boost your resume. The salaries and bonuses can be very high, but its also highly competitive, and it can be quite hard to get your foot in the door. If building your initial post-college resume has you feeling under qualified, here is what you will need to understand. Entry Level Sales Resume Help Job aspirants need to be on the lookout for a resume template rather than a curriculum vitae template. To receive your application even viewed, you must sell yourself forcefully. Start with reviewing the work description and be certain to have their keywords in your resume. What Does Entry Level Sales Resume Mean? Examples can supply you with advice on how to structure your resume and what type of language to include. Organization can help save you from getting lost in the intricacy of it all. When crafting your resume the very first rule to bear in mind is My audience is busy and has an extremely brief attention span. Writing a resume can be an intimidating task. Examples of resumes are among the absolute most helpful techniques to ensure that youre writing one which is good and thats correct for the specific job youre applying for. If youre a recent graduate or career changer free of experience in retail sales, youre want to compose a sales resume objective. Pick any work title and be prepared sales handle many roles. In addition, you can find out more about sales careers on Monster. Retail sales associates are needed to possess some understanding of the retail company and client solutions, and understanding of inventory and stocking is also essential. Youre a graduate whos full of potential. Utilize your life accomplishments and your limited expert experience to show hiring managers that youre serious about your success. If you dont have any work experience, include life experiences that may be relevant to the industry youre targeting. Youre going to want to include every one of these subsectionsaat a minimumaand you will want to be sure they meet standard expectations. An individual whos capable and interesting to have a whole work linked to sales, must present a resume to her or his employer. Resume creators make it possible for jobseekers to make and download their finished resumes directly from the web to begin applying immediately. One of the things which every hiring manager will be searching for in your entry-level sales resume is your capacity to sell yourself. One of the things which every hiring manager will be searching for in entry entry-level sales resume is your capacity to sell yourself. If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Entry Level Sales Resume Our resume builder makes it simple to create a well-written resume in a few minutes. You may try it and find which you are very great at and it might be the sort of job that may work into a full-time position working at home. As you start to seek out a new job, you have to have all the perfect tools by your side. Although it is an entry-level job, its still true that you should make certain that you set your best in everything that you do, starting with the resume that you pass.

3 Blind Spots in Hiring - Spark Hire

3 Blind Spots in Hiring - Spark HireHiring tends to become a rote process. A company has a system that has worked for them in the past and they stick to it in order to fill positions as people retire or resign. However, at the same time, there is always constant chatter about untapped potential hires such as passive candidates and how to reach them. Are there other potential schwimmbeckens that are being missed by the traditional process? Are there trends in hiring that cause menschlich Resources to miss out on potential candidates? Here are three blind spots in hiring to consider3.The reject pileThe times have certainly changed, and what you may have looked over due to necessity a few years ago may be exactly what your company needs now. Most human resources professionals would shun the idea of going back to applicants that they had turned down, but checking these candidates again could deepen your pool. In particular, take a second look at those candidates who you brought through m ultiple rounds of the hiring process. Perhaps they made it to one of the final rounds before you decided they didnt fit the position. What else was appealing about them then? Is it still appealing about them now?2. The long-term unemployedSteve Gifford at Fistful of Talent takes a look at a startling study from the St. Louis Federal Reserve. The graph he shares shows that of everyone who is currently unemployed, almost 40% of them have been out of work for more than six months. Gifford says that the lengths of someones unemployment is a huge factor in how much time a human resources professional will spend considering them for a job. He cites numerous excuses for ignoring the long-term unemployed, such as their skills are no longer sharp or, if they havent been employed by some other company, there must be something wrong with them as an applicant. Giving into these generalized misgivings and the kchenherd mentality can create a huge blind spot in hiring. In reality, there could be any number of reasons that a person has been unemployed for a long period of time, and the fact that theyre currently unemployed doesnt mean anything except simply that theyre unemployed.1. False perceptionsThe skills gap widens as time goes on hiring a person long out of a job will cost your company more on training an employee once rejected is always rejectedthey can have nothing to offer your company. All of these perceptions, while potentially true for some candidates cannot be true for all of them In fact, using these ideas to guide your hiring processunconscious as that may bemight mean youre missing out on great talent and even be impeding your companys progress. Both of the groups already discussed are generally untapped markets and could almost double your candidate pool if considered.Many human resources professionals might think that only the current candidate pool is worth taking a look at, but you could have a unique edge by considering those that other companies havent considered.What othermisperceptions or blind spots do you frequently discover in hiring? Share it with us in the comments.IMAGE Courtesy of Flickr bynimishgogri