More Employment-Ad Scams
Comments (1) The week isn’t even half-over, and I haven’t done any real work at all, and already I’m exhausted by an endless stream of requests from “prospective employers,” few of whom appear legitimate.
Category: Business
Comments (1) 
What’s a “Team Player”?
Comments Off on What’s a “Team Player”? In a job interview, what does it mean when the interviewer asks, “Do you consider yourself to be a team player?”
Try searching Google for that exact phrase and you’ll find lots of definitive, absolute (there can be no other) explanations for the question — each offering a different interpretation. You’ll also find complaints by job-seekers and also by human resources professionals, criticizing the question as meaningless and unanswerable.
Which Metric Matters Most?
Comments Off on Which Metric Matters Most? I found two marketing articles quite thought-provoking this week:
- Ad Testing: Are You Using The Wrong Success Metrics? (Brad Geddes @ SearchEngineLand)
- Which Metric Would You Measure if You Could Choose Only One? (Erez Barak @ SearchEngineWatch)
The common factor, of course, is “which metrics should marketers use to evaluate performance?”
Warning: Cloud Computing Affiliate Scams (CloudZow and more)
This week, I received two emails promoting new “Cloud Computing” services, with incredibly low pricing and promises of unlimited wealth if I become a reseller. They’re scams. Don’t flush your money into the sewers where these crooks are.
Web Site Design and LessonIndex.com: What Do You Think?
Over the past few months, in private emails, some smart folks have criticized the design of my LessonIndex.com web site.
It’s a crude, simple layout. Some call it unprofessional, while others suggest that it’s a poor demonstration of my skills. Some of these comments come from people I know and respect, but …
I think they’re wrong.
Likeonomics, by Rohti Bhargava
Comments Off on Likeonomics, by Rohti Bhargava Likeonomics was an engaging and sometimes interesting book, but without any real substance or value.
(Note: Likeonomics is NOT a book about the economics of “Likes” on Facebook. It’s about the importance of “likeability” for business or professional success.)
Update: My View on Non-Disclosure Agreements
Comments Off on Update: My View on Non-Disclosure Agreements In 2009, I wrote a blog post explaining “Why I Don’t Sign NDAs,” and reported that in 30 years of work as a reporter, attorney, and internet marketing consultant, I’ve signed exactly two Non-Disclosure Agreements, one of which was part of an employment contract.
Last week, I signed my third NDA.
Usefulness of Product Reviews on Etailer Sites
Comments Off on Usefulness of Product Reviews on Etailer Sites Online product reviews are a critical part of my buying process. But how useful, and how legitimate, are the product reviews we see on merchants’ web sites?
Affiliate Program Management: An Hour a Day (Geno Prussakov)
The breadth and depth of the advice in Geno Prussakov’s book, Affiliate Program Management: An Hour a Day, is exceptional.
Risks of Hiring Interns and Students
Comments Off on Risks of Hiring Interns and Students Over the past 15 years, I’ve often heard clients suggest that they intend to hire “interns” or “students” as temporary workers, and I’ve always offered warnings. The problem isn’t really hiring the interns or students, but instead assuming that they understand and respect “the rules.”
Students and other temporary workers “assign far more value to [their own] potential short-term earnings than to the merchant’s long-term reputation” (quoting myself).
