Chris Laganella

Job Seekers - Beware of Scammers! You just added the green 'Open of Work' banner to your profile and you instantly receive 20 requests from recruiters to connect and they all want to help you, you feel relief, but wait, before you accept their request to connect, do your due diligence: 1) Click on their profile 2) What country are they in, Nigeria, Guam, Saudi Arabia - red flag 3) "The profile you are looking for doesn't exist" - red flag 4) They have minimal job history, no recommendations, or an incomplete/empty profile - all red flags Scammers are on LinkedIn and Job Seekers are one of their targets!

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Seriously considering if New England has work for me anymore. I apply frequently to video production work only to receive rejection notices; some within 1 hour of submission. Additionally, I receive contacts from recruiters who don't seem to do their due diligence. They are trying to fill a position without even checking for applicant qualifications. If anyone thinks that I'm qualified for supervising hazardous waste disposal again, that recruiter definitely needs to be reevaluated or that algorithm needs to be removed. The only disadvantage I have are NDAs from previous employers. My last professional work was posted in 2020. Video portfolios aren't judged by other creatives but by paper pushers working in HR. I once applied for a video editing gig with a NC YouTube channel, was told my work is "too corporate", and this doesn't match the influencer's style. This HR recruiter couldn't see the hard work that went into each video sample. I have also been told that posting the badge #opentowork on your profile pic deters recruiters or future employers. I honestly don't understand the employment marketplace when you can't be direct with your words. I do understand myself to be earnest, hardworking, and tired of filling out job applications to work in video production again.

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Location-based Pay Bands I'd like to start what may turn out to be a controversial conversation here late on a Friday afternoon. Location-based pay bands for remote or hybrid positions. I don't get it. Certainly it is more expensive to live in certain metro areas. And in our past world where positions needed to be located within commuting distance of major company offices in those metro areas, it certainly made sense to have pay bands that reflected the financial reality for those commuters. But it seems odd to me when I see a position that is listed as being <anywhere, USA> that also includes additional pay if the candidate is located in one of the major metros listed. If you are willing to spend $200k of shareholder dollars in New York, then why pay someone in Albuquerque $150k? It costs the shareholder the same amount. In fact, for $200k in Albuquerque, you might get someone who is lightyears better than the person you can get in NYC for $200k. What a great time for companies to grab rock stars who were previously geographically undesirable. It's the same money. It has the same face value everywhere. Customers don't pay in California Dollars or Alabama Dollars. The balance sheet doesn't document how many Boston Dollars the company is holding in cash reserves. So why? If someone reads that a 100% remote job is paying in metro bands, is that a subtle signal to the applicant that the job is remote <for now> but will eventually get moved to HQ? Or is it just that pay strategy hasn't caught up yet with how we work in 2024? Discuss...

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This week I spoke with two recruiter friends, they have recruited for me in the past, and have been out of work for 9 months. Good people who have a great track record. Unemployment up .5% for 2024 Yesterday inflation was up after a downward trend. Consumer credit is up and so are defaults. Missed home loan payments & defaults also up. Downturn in the market started in Q2 despite record securities trading. Groceries up as much as 50%, 28% on average over 5 years. Large package brands volume is down but have increased pricing. Down volume wasn't a consumer trend but rather company strategy to increase prices and ship less. Publix and Kroger profits are 2% over CPI. Their security profits are up as much as 49%. National debt $36T with a $2T annual note. Market for 2025 will continue to cool down, meaning more of the same. JP Morgan predict a major recession ending 2024 35% chance and 45% chance in 2025. Hold on people, shit might get real.

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Putting hours of effort into a cover letter and job application, only for it to be rejected by an automated AI, is one of the most disheartening realities of our time. But resilience is our only option. If you're out there going through this or something similar, I see you. We all do. We admire how you face your challenges, push through your insecurities, and rise again with hope. Keep going—you’re not alone in this journey. #resilience #jobsearch #careerjourney #keepgoing #motivation

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Here's what working at GameStop has taught me about B2B sales... Gotcha! It's been 13 months after being laid off and I still will not give up on games. You might call me crazy, but I can't NOT work in games. Games got me through tough times. I won't divulge too many details but life has been an uphill climb. This is just another steep cliff and, by Hylia, I will keep eating those Stamella Shrooms until I crest it. Video games have been what I turn to when nothing else is a salve for the pain or the darkness. People who I do not personally know poured their heart and soul into worlds and stories that allowed me to disconnect from impossible situations that life was throwing at me. They were my lifeline. I've been at GameStop and I see this happening to others, too. A customer was in asking for accessible controllers for gaming because his buddy had been in a car crash (Sony's Access Controller; fight sticks). Frequently I give multiplayer suggestions to parents whose children are having a hard time bonding with friends (Mario Kart, Piku Niku), or thinkier games to help small children work on their reasoning skills (Captain Toad, A Little to the Left). I wonder whose lives I have touched too, with my own games. I may not know who you are or what your name is, %n, but I reach out to you to tell you I love you and you're meant to be here and that life is worth getting past your next combat encounter. I will never give up on games, because games never gave up on me. #gamedev #opentowork #gameproduction #production #gameproducer

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For those asking for a blog post about being on this side of the fence as a former recruiter, let me give you a quick TLDR: 1. Received an offer to have it taken away due to shift in hiring priority for the team 2. Completed a final to have one manager tell me i'm a shoe in (absolutely loved this manager the whole process!) only to find out a different manager wanted someone with 1 more year experience (this one hurt) 3. Two different process extending over 3+ months (One of which is point #1) 4. A lot of lovely friends, former clients, colleagues etc offering to refer me to their company, most of which i've been turning down at this point in an attempt to 'do it tough myself' - which everyone keeps telling me is silly now (and I agree!) 5. Still an ok amount of no-responses, I have a spreadsheet for roles I apply to and tend to try follow up where possible which is more fruitful

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How to stay stress-free during Assessment and Rating with a well-prepared QIP One thing we’ve learned from speaking with childcare compliance managers is that the Assessment and Rating (A&R) process doesn’t have to be stressful—if you’re prepared. Regulatory authorities typically provide only 1-5 days' notice for a site visit, so having your Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) up to date and gathering evidence regularly is key to staying ready. By making it part of your routine to document progress daily, weekly, and monthly, you can be ready for A&R at any moment, without the last-minute scramble. If you’re a compliance manager, I’d love to hear your thoughts. How do you stay A&R-ready? Let me know in the comments what’s working for you. – If simplifying document management and the A&R process is something you’re passionate about, we’d love to have you join our research study. We’ve created and implemented a unique compliance solution in a select group of Early Learning Centres in QLD, helping them maintain their Exceeding ratings with ease. Now, we’re exploring how it can benefit more centres. Before rolling it out more widely, we want to ensure it’s designed to meet the exact needs of compliance and operations managers in Australian childcare. Your insights will help shape this tool, and you could be among the first to benefit from early access and implementation—tailored specifically to your centre’s needs. Interested in learning more? Book a 15-min Discovery Call: https://lnkd.in/g-hSfqVw #ChildcareCompliance #AssessmentAndRating #QIP #CentreManagement #IndyForms

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Trader Joe’s genius strikes again! 🧠 ⚡️ Due to theft, they had to permanently lock the doors on one side of the store. While every other retailer would hang a sign that says “USE OTHER DOOR” or “THIS ENTRANCE CLOSED” ⬅️⬅️💸 Trader Joe’s used a brilliant strategy instead (positive redirection) by putting giant red arrows directing you exactly where to go, and exclaiming “GREAT VALUES AHEAD” with an arrow pointing where to go for the great values. I mean… this is GENIUS! 💡 ………. Positive Redirection can be especially helpful when giving a presentation if someone asks a question in the middle (but you’re saving questions til the end) You can say something like: ❤️ ➡️ “I love that question (positive), to make sure I have enough time to answer it, let’s save all questions til the end (redirection).” Or if someone is talking/whispering while you’re presenting, you can say: 🎉 ➡️ “I know this topic is exciting and fun to discuss (positive), but to create the best experience for everyone here today let’s stay engaged in the presentation and wait til the end for the fun conversations to come to life! (Redirection)” 🤔 Where have you seen Positive Redirection work really well?

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Applying and getting a job is pretty cool. But never needing to apply for a job, (while still getting hired), is even cooler.... 10 + years ago II never wanted to apply for a job again. I like to call this becoming “𝘶𝘯𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦”, a good characteristic if you will. This decision to never apply for a job again, put me on a journey I never dreamed possible. I discovered that when I… -Focused on creating value over chasing promotions. -Strived to prioritize impact over the next pay raise. -Emphasized making a difference over job hunting. -Decided to think long-term over short-term gains. All these things, and many others, has equated to me never needing to apply for a job. Want to never apply for a job again? You want to never update your resume again? Focus on…. -Relentlessly pursuit of value creation. -Making a significant impact in everything you do. -Honing your skills, talents and gifts. -Challenging yourself to go beyond your comfort zones. These traits, and many others, will make you “𝘶𝘯𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦.” And, They will transform your career in unimaginable ways. What sets you apart, is what will set you ahead. Thoughts?

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While I’ve been freewheeling in unemployment for the last few weeks 😇😇😇 I’ve also taken some calls with folks looking to better understand what CX pros and exec teams are looking for in their AI toolkits and implementations. I’m hanging around in this space for now and love giving my ✨ professional opinions ✨ I’m also available for implementation work! You might be: ⁉️a team or a biz who doesn’t know where to start re: CXAI 🏃🏻‍♀️a well-informed but under-resourced team who needs to get their AI whatever tool to market ASAP 🎁in need of a rollout strategy or pitch for CXAI in your org I am: 🛟available to help within your budget 💸a free agent, which means I want what’s best for your CX, not what’s best for any particular CXAI company’s sales team 🤝experienced and well-connected to plenty of CX partners in the biz, so when my work ends you will be setup for success I can also help with all sorts of other bits and bobs to optimize, transform, or just give a little refresh to your systems, so let’s talk!

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To the Comcast Xfinity Team: It’s time you hear the raw truth about what’s happening in the call centers representing your company in Honduras. Names like Startek, and others are dragging your brand into the mud with their exploitative and disgusting practices. You pay these companies an obscene amount for services, but the people keeping your customers happy are earning less than 3 dollars an hour. That’s right—less than 3 dollars an hour. Families are starving, employees are drowning in debt, and they’re being treated like disposable garbage. But it gets worse. These call centers don’t just exploit workers financially—they terrorize them. Supervisors bully agents, threatening them with immediate termination if they don’t sell enough lines or meet impossible metrics. And when they’ve squeezed every drop out of someone, they fire them without a second thought, leaving them and their families to fend for themselves. And don’t think you’ll get the truth by sending a representative to Startek in San Pedro Sula or any of these other offices. These companies are experts at staging the perfect show. They cherry-pick their biggest ass-kissers to feed you lies, while the real victims—the ones with stories of abuse, threats, and exploitation—are silenced. Sometimes they’re kept stuck on calls without even a lunch break, or worse, fired before you can hear them speak. If you really care about your brand and your values, stop relying on these orchestrated corporate tours. Go deeper. Look for the voices that these companies are trying to suppress. Check online forums, employee reviews, anonymous testimonials—places where people find the courage to speak when these companies strip them of it. Your name is tied to this mess, Comcast. Every time one of these abusive call centers mistreats an employee, it’s your brand that takes the hit. The question is: will you let this continue, or will you take real action? Conduct a full, unbiased audit. Talk to employees—not just the ones handpicked by their corrupt managers, but the ones too scared to speak out. Hold these companies accountable. Your reputation isn’t just built on satisfied customers; it’s built on how you treat the people who serve them. Right now, the message you’re sending is loud and clear—and it’s ugly. #CorporateResponsibility #CallCenterAbuse #ComcastAccountability Fix it. Central Intelligence Agency Lisa Bonnell Greg Horn Broderick Johnson Comcast Comcast Technology Solutions Xfinity Communities Kevin Lubbert Ken Sedberry Larry Niles Todd Kircher MICHELLE LANGRELL Christine Whitaker Elad Nafshi Tom Karinshak Ray Roundtree

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I have to reiterate the importance of being as compassionate as possible when working as a Recruiter. Today a candidate didn't show to the interview on time, and when I reached out, they wrote back: "Oh, I put it on my personal calendar wrong for (half an hour later)!" They apologized and said they could hop on immediately. But y'all, I know that's stressful and throws people off their game. As a recruiter, I want people to bring their best foot forward. I want to see them prepared. Not make them wait 8 hours like that stupid meme (where the hiring manager made the candidates wait forever just to see who passed this test of endurance, which is total BS and feels *illegal*, but I digress). So I asked if they would prefer to wait until the time they thought we had scheduled for, and to use the next 20 minutes or so to decompress or release any stress or anxiety that might've cropped up as a result of this exchange. Recruiters, remember that you're representing your organization! We should also be putting our best feet forward for every interview we conduct! This job market sucks for applicants, and we don't have to treat the people applying to our companies like fodder or chaff. Just because we see hundreds of resumes per requisition doesn't mean we can reduce people to numbers. Just a gentle reminder to be compassionate, thoughtful, and above all, kind.

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I’ve recently heard of folks again being required by their employers to sign noncompete agreements, even though these types of agreements were banned nationwide by the FTC earlier this year (2024). Have employers found a way around the ban? Are employers not concerned with the ban? What’s going on? If you’re an employer still using these agreements, someone who is well-informed about their intricacies, or an employee currently struggling with whether or not to sign one, let’s discuss! Share your thoughts, experiences, and questions in the comments below. If you prefer to remain anonymous, feel free to DM me, and I’ll share your comment without revealing your identity. Let’s get this conversation started and shed some light on this important issue! To be clear, I’m not an attorney and am not offering or providing legal advice of any kind. You can learn more from the FTC here: https://lnkd.in/e-XZ6ARP

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Over the last year-and-a-half I’ve watched my LinkedIn feed turn into announcements of layoffs and each time it hits, it hurts my heart- strong. “Impacted” and “Open to Work” have become catchphrases that not only communicate disruption, but also something spurring a deeper search. Having navigated a couple unemployment stints in my career, I’m aware of how it rattles one’s core and disrupts a sense of self. To those who have landed new gigs, I applaud you. To those who are taking a career break, I applaud you. And to those bravely still seeking, I applaud you... and offer support. One of these things is not greater than the other. Yet socially and professionally, we’re primed to believe we’re defined by our productivity. And when that piece is taken out of the puzzle, it shakes the foundation upon which we’ve anchored a belief, and oftentimes pride, in who we are. If you’re out of work, or know someone who is, shoot me a message. I offer a listening ear. Curiosity to understand your story. Encouragement (and strategies) to take care of yourself in this process. One thing all organizations need are employees who are energized. And that's difficult to provide unless self-care is part of your pursuits. Reach out. Open to Support.

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