Archive for the 'Fun and Games' Category

As a former Super Nintendo addict enthusiast, I was both excited and surprised to come across this recent Go magazine article about the growing number of companies using interactive software and video games as employee training and development tools.

Excited, of course, because it seems like a cool, fun way to engage employees (and brought back fond memories of watching Mario hop around in a Frog suit)…But also surprised by just how many companies are embracing this trend: A reported 70 percent of major domestic employers used these ”serious games” to train employees in 2008, according to the Entertainment Software Association.  That figure is estimated to increase to 80 percent by 2013.

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• Posted by: Mary Lorenz on March 4, 2010
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• Categories: Employee Attraction, Employee Engagement, Employee Retention, Fun and Games, Innovation, Technology

Can’t wait until February 7th for an excuse to gorge on cheap beer and buffalo wings in the middle of the day to see the commercials that will air during the big game? Alrighty then…here’s one:

Or is it?  The above clip is actually just one possibility for what CareerBuilder might air during the big game.  This morning, CareerBuilder launched www.careerbuilder.com/tv, where you can not only see the three winners of its HireMyTVAd contest, but you can actually vote for which commercial you think should actually air on national TV during the 2010 big game.

In a departure from previous years’ commercials (perhaps you recall last year’s “It’s Time” commercial), CareerBuilder decided to go the user-generated route – sponsoring a contest that would allow the everyday consumer to submit an ad idea.  According to the press release:

Close to 1,000 entries were submitted and while CareerBuilder originally set out to hire only one concept, in the end, three ideas were selected and each received a $100,000 prize.  

All three winning concepts reinforce CareerBuilder’s tagline – START BUILDING. The entries also incorporate elements of CareerBuilder’s signature use of humor and focus on CareerBuilder as a powerful resource for job seekers.

If consumer response to this year’s commercial is anything like last year’s response, this means a huge surge in traffic to CareerBuilder and, therefore – more importantly – good news for employers who post jobs on the site, as they benefit from increased exposure to both their Job Postings  and their organizations.    

But I digress…Check out one of the finalists at www.careerbuilder.com/tv and vote for your favorite! Then watch the game on February 7th to see which one made the cut.

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• Posted by: Mary Lorenz on January 13, 2010
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• Categories: Fun and Games

CareerBuilder recently launched an ad contest for job seekers to create their own “It’s Probably Time” 45-second spot (a la our Super Bowl ad).  Go here to view the 10 finalists and vote for your favorite one. 

Even if you have no interest in voting, it’s worth checking out.  At the very least, you’ll get a cringe kick out of watching some of these submissions; however, you might also gain a little insight into what makes passive job seekers run to – and from - certain jobs and companies.  (They say every joke has its grain of truth after all…)

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• Posted by: Mary Lorenz on March 24, 2009
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• Categories: Contest, Fun and Games

Inspired by Entertainment Weekly’s ode to history’s great “bromances” (which was inspired by today’s release of the new comedy “I Love You, Man“), I decided to pay tribute to another rarely celebrated faux romance: That between manager and employee. 

I thought it would be a nice change of pace from the conversations about employer/employee relations that tend to focus on the negative.  (And…what can I say? It’s Friday.)  

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• Posted by: Mary Lorenz on March 20, 2009
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• Categories: Employee Engagement, Fun and Games

With last night’s premiere of Celebrity Apprentice 2 (Fare thee well, Andrew “Dice” Clay. We’ll miss all the leather.) I started thinking about who I’d hire as my own apprentice and why they’d make better-or-just-as-good business partners than the current cast candidates.  So in no particular order, I give you my top 10 list:

• Tina Fey – The “30 Rock” creator and Second City alum has the razor-sharp wit and improvisational skills that are just as big of an asset in the business world as they are on stage.
• Malcolm Gladwell – Simply because I’d read anything from the best-selling author of Blink, The Tipping Point and Outliers – including a fax cover sheet.
• Sarah Vowell – Ditto for this best-selling author, This American Life contributor and self-professed history buff. And really, you never know when random John Wilkes Booth trivia will come in handy.
• Lisa Ling – Not only could the National Geographic Explorer host bring a diverse range of experiences and ideas to the table, thanks to her extensive travels, but with a personal mission to “raise consciousness about issues and stories that don’t always make the headlines,” she could help any company increase and stay true to its social responsibility.
• Paula Deen – The Food Network chef no doubt has business acumen – she founded the renowned Lady and Sons restaurant in her home state of Georgia. Plus, her generous use of fat- and calorie-laden ingredients shows that she’s not one to skimp if it means delivering less than the best (tasting) offerings. And I guess it wouldn’t suck to have her around for the next company potluck, either.
• Madonna – Whatever your opinion of her talent, there’s no denying her innovation, business-savvy, and ability to market herself. How else could she have maintained pop culture relevance for the past 25 years?
• Tim Gunn – Sure, I’d probably need to keep a dictionary on hand for our one-on-ones, but I could rest assured knowing Bravo’s “Project Runway” star and “Guide to Style” host would never deliver anything but the highest-quality products to his clients and customers. Bonus: I’ll have the best-dressed office in town.
• Rodney Yee – The renowned yoga guru could lead the team in regular hatha sessions to reduce stress, improve concentration, and increase productivity, among other potential benefits.
• Mike Tomlin – Talk about a whiz kid: On February 1, Tomlin became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl. I’d be willing to bet the hard work and team-building skills that led to his success on the field would bode well for him in the business world, as well.
• Oprah – Take it from Dr. Phil, Barack Obama and half of the past decade’s New York Times‘ best-selling authors: You always always want Oprah on your team. (Just make sure you also have a spot open for Gayle.)

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• Posted by: Mary Lorenz on March 2, 2009
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• Categories: Employee Attraction, Fun and Games

By now, you’ve all seen the CareerBuilder Super Bowl commercial…right?

Well, we’ve made our favorite koala (Is he British? Is he Australian? We don’t really know) into a minor celebrity and put his likeness on some limited-edition T-shirts. This is where you come in.

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• Posted by: Amy Chulik on February 19, 2009
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• Categories: Contest, Employee Attraction, Employee Engagement, Employee Retention, Fun and Games