Comments on: Hiring in the most unusual places

By: How to Survive When You Lose Your Job: Totally Bizarre Ways to Make It « The Debt Dance

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:53:59 +0000

[...] I was just trying to wipe icing off of my 2-year-old’s face and there he was: the next person I needed to hire. In about two sentences, he went from “M’s dad” to the writer for a project I am working on. I hadn’t even gotten around to placing a job ad yet. Now, with any luck, I won’t have to.” SmartBlogonWorkforce [...]

By: Freddi Dyson

Freddi Dyson — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:13:36 +0000

I took early retirement from a major wholesaler where I had worked for over 25 years. I took a part-time job but was seriously bored. A former co-worker who had gone to work for another former co-worker that started her own company passed away. I went to the funeral home and ran into the lady who now owned her own company. She asked if I was working. After explaining my situation she asked that I come to her office to talk. A week later I was employed and have been here almost 5 years. May best advice to anybody – "Never burn a bridge – you never know when you might have to cross back over it!"

By: Mary Ellen Slayter

Mary Ellen Slayter — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 05:04:43 +0000

The contest is now closed. These are awesome. Look in tomorrow's SmartBrief on Workforce for the first of our five winners.

By: bagni

bagni — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:56:29 +0000

locker room
ended up interviewing him
while i was naked
he got the job
i got dressed

By: Marcel

Marcel — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:59:33 +0000

I crashed into the rear of the car of a person who I later hired. She has turned out to be an exceptional employee.

By: Teresa

Teresa — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:44:49 +0000

I was at the spa. The lady behind the desk had great customer service skills…she started off in my company's customer service department and worked up to a management position!

By: Kevin Cook

Kevin Cook — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:42:01 +0000

A few companies ago, we had a luxury box a the new Boston Garden. Our waitress was so outgoing, friendly and personable, I hired her for a sales position. She turned out to be a superstar. She went from schlepping pizza and hot dogs to closing multi-million dollar medical office deals.

By: Wanda L. Anderson

Wanda L. Anderson — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:55:06 +0000

I was drinking beer and playing pool in a bar on a Sunday afternoon in 1983. The bartender asked what I did. When I told him I was a petroleum landman and had recently started my own company, he told me his background and asked for a job. I told him I had drank too much beer to hire him then but for him to call me on Monday and we would talk about it. He came in for an interview and was one of the best landmen I worked with. We have stayed in touch and worked together again in 2007.

By: William

William — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:52:33 +0000

I was looking for a chief systems engineer for a missile systems program and grousing in the locker room at lunch after some really strenuous raquet ball matches about not being able to find anyone. One of my opponents introduced me to a guy coming off the squash courts. I outlined the position, he accepted, and I headed off to the showers knowing my new chief engineer would report first thing in the morning.

By: Carol

Carol — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:38:44 +0000

Our search firm's specialty is multicultural talent sourcing so we always search for great talent off the beaten paths. One of our favorite places to hunt is the Black Ski Summit where thousands of interesting, adventurous professionals from a variety of backgrounds take to the slopes. I meet heads of companies, VP's of Marketing as I tumble down the hill on my snowboard every year. The lift chair stories of amazing talent from across the country and the connections can't be beat. Who said black people don't ski!