Boomers, Buzzwords and Elephants...Oh, My!

Well, as many of you may have noticed, I wasn't nominated for an Oscar this year, but I'm not going to be upset about it. After all, I really didn't have a thing to wear, and now I have more time to devote to this week's Tidbit Tuesday. So, without further ado, here are my nominations for interesting news items:

* Thinking about Dumbo: A survey found the the "Most Outrageous, Offensive and Illegal Interview Questions” ever asked during a job interview include: "Would you be available from time to time to watch my children?”; "Is that your natural hair color?”; and one I personally think about all the time -- "What would you do if I gave you an elephant?”
Of course, to be fair, job candidates have their own set of weird behaviors, including these answers: "Please excuse some of my replies as I am still a little hung-over from the weekend.” (It was a Wednesday.); "I had a dream and a fairy told me I should work for your company”; and "I’ve already accepted another position, but I thought I may as well turn up to this interview just in case this was a better paying job.”
The survey was compiled by Development Dimensions International (DDI) and Monster.com.

* Calling all Boomers: Nearly 14,000 mission-critical jobs need to be filled at the U.S. Department of Treasury in the next two years, including 7,950 IRS agents and tax examiners. Procurement, IT and accounting positions are also on the "most wanted" job list, and that's just one example of why private and government groups are banding together to try and recruit baby boomers for these jobs.
The war for talent is hitting the federal government hard, as more than one-third of the full-time permanent federal workforce gets ready to retire or leave in the next five years, according to the Partnership for Public Service.
The FedExperience Transitions to Government - an initiative to help match government's critical hiring needs with the talents of baby boomers looking for encore careers where they can find interesting and challenging work - is touted as a win-win for everyone. Specifically, baby boomers get to "transition" to retirement, and the federal government doesn't shut down because there are not enough experienced people to run it.

* Does delayering make you look thinner? If you've ever wondered what your boss means when he or she says there will be "unsiloing," you're not alone. My friends at The Des Moines Register have put together a funny - yet sadly true - look at the buzzwords bosses like to use and what they may really mean. One example: "Departmental synergy: There's a chance you'll be emptying trash cans one day a week by March."




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