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605.5(2) Particular applications
Where there was no explicit evidence of the administrator's approval pursuant to §230.29, Stats., of the transfer, but the record contained a copy of a memo to the administrator requesting his approval, and a notation that the administrator verbally had approved the transfer, it will be inferred, in part in keeping with the presumption of administrative regularity, that the required approval had been given. Harley v. DOT & DP, 80-77-PC, 11/7/80
Where there was evidence to support a finding that the appointing authority had delegated certain authority to first line supervisors, it would be inferred pursuant to the presumption of administrative regularity, and in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, that this delegation was in writing and on file with the director as required by §Pers 1.02(l), Wis. Adm. Code. Schmid v. UW, 78-19, 9/5/79
610.2 As academic staff
In an appeal of a noncontractual grievance relative to the designation by the Board of Regents of two UW-Green Bay positions as academic staff (as opposed to classified civil service), the scope of the Commission's review is limited to the question of whether there has been a violation of the civil service code (Subchapter II, Chapter 16 (now 230), and Ch. Pers. WAC). The Commission can find nothing in the code that creates a presumption that positions be designated in the classified service, and concludes that there was no violation of the civil service code. WSEU v. UW, 74-100, 2/15/80
615.2 Generally
The strict selection criteria designed to predict successful performance on the job required under the competitive examination process described under §§230.15 and .16, Stats., apply only up to the time that the certification list of qualified candidates is developed. Thereafter, the appointing authority is required only to base its selection on more flexible criteria that are reasonably related to the responsibilities of the position in its quest to appoint the best candidate for the position. Postler v. Wis. Pers. Comm., et al, Dane County Circuit Court, 95CV003178, 10/9/96; affirmed by Court of Appeals, Postler v. Wis. Pers. Comm., 96-3350, 1/27/98
If an agency decides to use handicapped expanded certification, it is not mandated by law to hire a person with a disability. Byrne v. State Pers. Comm., Dane County Circuit Court, 93-CV-3874, 8/15/94
Where it was not established on what grounds the appointing authority acted, improper motives will not be imputed to the appointing authority from the acts of the three person interview panel he appointed, and in any event, the appointing authority is not required to appoint the most qualified candidate. DHSS v. Wis. Pers. Comm. (Paul), Dane County Circuit Court, 81-CV-1635, 9/18/83 (dictum)
Appellant failed to sustain his burden to establish that respondent's failure to hire him for a Youth Counselor position was illegal or an abuse of discretion where he was not hired because he failed to disclose all convictions on the form he completed the day of his interview. Wedekind v. DOC, 98-0091-PC, 2/24/99
Respondent did not abuse its discretion by relying upon the conviction disclosure form completed by the appellant as part of the interview process, as opposed to searching for disclosures previously made by appellant when he was a state employe. Respondent's reliance on the conviction disclosure form was not clearly against reason or evidence. Respondent's decision not to consider the appellant further for a vacant position after discovering that appellant failed to make full disclosure of his conviction record was not contrary to respondent's policy. Disqualifying a candidate from further consideration due to falsification of application materials is specifically authorized in §ER-MRS 6.10(7), Wis. Adm. Code. Wedekind v. DOC, 98-0091-PC, 2/24/99
The traditional analysis under §230.44(1)(d), Stats., of hiring decisions is whether, based on the record, the appointing authoritys decision was clearly against reason and evidence, citing Harbort v. DILHR, 81-74-PC, 4/2/82. However, where an appeal relates to the hiring authoritys request for certification of additional names, evidence that would tend to show that the agency requested an additional, or a particular type of certification for the purpose of undermining appellants chances for the appointment would be relevant as would evidence as to whether respondent improperly relied on recommendations in violation of §230.20, citing Ransom v. UW-Milwaukee, 87-0125-PC, 7/13/88. Morvak v. DOT & DMRS, 97-0020-PC, 6/19/97
Where appellant requested and was given reconsideration following respondents initial decision not to hire her, respondents decisional process consisted of two distinct parts. The second part of the decisional process, in which the director of the facility decided to stand by previous decision made by the assistant director of nursing but changed the rationale for its decision to include a new reason, was part of the subject matter of the appeal. The additional reason fell within the scope of the respondents failure or refusal to hire the appellant and within the stipulated issue for hearing which asked whether respondent committed an illegal act or an abuse of discretion in not appointing the appellant to the vacant positions in question. In addition, respondent waived any objection to the scope of the hearing by never raising this issue until after the promulgation of the proposed decision and order, where respondent specifically addressed the second part of the decisional process in terms of the evidence it presented at hearing and in terms of the arguments it made in its closing statement at hearing. Neldaughter v. DHFS, 96-0054-PC, 2/14/97
Where respondent decided to reevaluate appellants application for vacancies as a Nurse Clinician and the deciding factor in the second decision not to hire appellant was the fact that she had threatened to file a complaint if she did not get a response from respondent about her denial within two weeks, respondents second decision was an abuse of discretion. Appellant knew she had certain (time limited) rights with respect to her non-hire and she merely informed respondent that if she did not receive an explanation for its action within a certain time, she would exercise those rights. An applicant for state employment has the statutory right under §230.44(1)(d), Stats., to challenge an agencys hiring decision. Neldaughter v. DHFS, 96-0054-PC, 2/14/97
There was no showing that the interview process failed to satisfy any relevant requirement or was not applied in a consistent fashion to each candidate where each interviewee was told they had to turn in their copy of the interview questions prior to the start of their interview, and where another candidate was able to consult his notes during the interview because he took his notes on another piece of paper while the appellant had taken his notes on the paper which contained the interview questions so he was unable to consult them during the interview. Firlus v. DOC, 96-0030-PC, 11/14/96
Where there was no evidence in the record relating to the content of the interview questions, interview benchmarks, or responses to the interview questions by the candidates, there was no way to compare the interview performances of the candidates to determine if there was an abuse of discretion in relation to the scoring of the interviews. Evidence that the successful candidate was a friend of, and rode to work with, the supervisor for the position (who was one of the three members of the interview committee) and evidence that even though the vacant position was posted as a second shift position, the successful candidate ended up working only four days on the second shift before the position (and incumbent) returned to the successful candidates previous shift, was insufficient to support a conclusion of an illegality or an abuse of discretion. Firlus v. DOC, 96-0030-PC, 11/14/96
Interviews were not regarded as part of the competitive examination process. The interview questions, which were job-related, need not have been designed to predict successful performance on the job. Respondent conceded the questions were not designed as a scientific measure of success. Postler v. DOT, 94-0016-PC, 94-0024-PC-ER, 10/16/95; affirmed by Dane County Circuit Court, Postler v. Wis. Pers. Comm., et al, 95CV003178, 10/9/96; affirmed by Court of Appeals, Postler v. Wis. Pers. Comm., 96-3350, 1/27/98
Respondent did not abuse its discretion when it eliminated petitioner from consideration for the position of supervisor of a particular work unit where respondent had a reasonable basis to believe that some degree of conflict existed between petitioner and the staff of the unit, even though there were only two incidents that respondent cited as the basis for its belief and the most recent incident occurred approximately one and one-half years prior to the interview. Postler v. DOT, 94-0016-PC, 94-0024-PC-ER, 10/16/95; affirmed by Dane County Circuit Court, Postler v. Wis. Pers. Comm., et al, 95CV003178, 10/9/96; affirmed by Court of Appeals, Postler v. Wis. Pers. Comm., 96-3350, 1/27/98
Respondent did not commit an illegal act or abuse its discretion when it did not select appellants for a vacant Civil Engineer-Developmental (Plan Reviewer) position where the appellants did not possess an engineering degree and the top five candidates all had such a degree, even though the appellants did have experience reviewing plans. Ochs & Jensen v. DILHR, 93-0185, 0219-PC, 9/9/94
Respondent's hiring decisions were sustained where the job announcement had specifically referenced holding a data processing or equivalent degree, the successful candidates had such degrees and appellant did not and during the interview appellant was not well organized and failed to link his background with the duties of the position. Stewart v. DOR, 92-0003-PC, 8/18/94
Respondent's hiring decision did not constitute an abuse of discretion where there was conflicting testimony about whether there was animosity between appellant and his supervisor, but in any event the record reflected that the supervisor neither participated in nor influenced the interview panel which ranked appellant third among four candidates, and that the selected candidate had superior qualifications for the position. Ransom v. UW, 92-0234-PC, 2/9/94
In dictum, the Commission noted it was not "clearly against reason and evidence" for the appointing authority to consider the interview panel's recommendation as only one of several selection criteria. The basis for the respondent's selection decision, i.e., that the successful candidate's training in law enforcement was superior to appellant's and that he had been employed at a higher level in the State Patrol than appellant held to be reasonably job-related and accurately assessed. It was also not "clearly against reason and evidence" for respondent to conclude, based on appellant's successful and lengthy employment with the DOT, that he was not eligible for Handicapped Expanded Certification, i.e., that he did not have a "physical or mental disability which substantially limits the person's employment opportunities, including the person's ability to obtain or retain employment." Byrne v. DOT & DMRS, 92-0672-PC, 92-0152-PC-ER 9/8/93; affirmed by Dane County Circuit Court, Byrne v. State Pers. Comm., 93-CV-3874, 8/15/94
Appellant failed to sustain his burden to show an illegality or an abuse of discretion where there was nothing in the record relating to the selection process followed by respondent, the selection criteria utilized or the comparative qualifications of the candidates based upon these criteria. Bauer v. DATCP & DER, 91-0128-PC, 6/25/93
No abuse of discretion in hiring was found although successful candidate's son-in-law headed institutional department to which she gained employment where respondent did not include successful candidate's son-in-law in selection process, appellant did not show that son-in-law influenced the process, appellant was not better qualified than successful candidate who had previous LTE experience performing similar duties to those assigned to the vacant position, and interview scoring inconsistencies did not significantly affect appellant's ranking. Schmidt v. DHSS, 88-0131-PC, 6/4/93; affirmed by Winnebago County Circuit Court, Schmidt v. Wis. Pers. Comm., 93 CV 654, 4/28/94; affirmed by Court of Appeals, 94-1545, 7/19/95
Even though one interviewer asked appellant his marital status, the decision not to hire the appellant was not illegal where there was no basis for a finding that the question had any effect on the hiring decision. Bengtson v. DILHR, 92-0026-PC, 8/26/92
Respondent had a rational basis for its decision not to select the appellant for a supervisory position even though the appellant had very strong supervisory experience and the successful candidate did not, where the successful candidate had program experience and client base experience and the appellant did not. Bengtson v. DILHR, 92-0026-PC, 8/26/92
Respondent's decision not to hire the appellant for a staff psychiatrist position in a mental health institute was affirmed where the decision was based on the revocation of the appellant's license to practice medicine 6 years earlier for having engaged in a sexual relationship with a patient, even though the revocation was overturned on appeal based upon the court's conclusion that the applicable statute of limitations had run. The respondent was not required to conduct an independent investigation to determine the accuracy and completeness of the information provided to them by apparently reliable and knowledgeable outside sources. Puls v. DHSS, 90-0172-PC, 5/1/92
Where the primary basis utilized by respondent for making hiring decisions pursuant to the contractual transfer process was seniority unless a less senior candidate possessed clearly and substantially different qualifications, and where the appellant failed to show that her relevant qualifications were clearly and substantially different than those of the more senior candidates, the decision not to select the appellant was affirmed. Molitor v. DHSS, 89-0086-PC, 89-0105-PC-ER, 5/1/92
Where the appellant failed to show 1) that the three selection criteria were not applied uniformly to the final four candidates or 2) that it was "clearly against reason and evidence" for the respondent to conclude that the successful applicant was the better candidate, she did not sustain her burden of proof. The fact that the appellant was satisfactorily performing in a similar position while serving probation did not mean she was entitled to appointment to the vacant position. Also there was no requirement that the respondent hold up its recruitment and selection process until the appellant was eligible to exercise a mandatory transfer right into the vacancy. Jorgensen v. DOT, 90-0298-PC, 6/12/91
Respondent's decision not to select the appellant for a vacant position as a stores supervisor in a prison was affirmed where the questions used by the interview panel were job-related, the questions were asked of all the candidates, the answers were scored using a pre-established benchmark rating system, the actual scores awarded were based on the candidates' responses and the candidate selected received the highest score. Although the person selected was the step-daughter of a payroll and benefits specialist in the prison, and the selectee would end up supervising her mother, neither parent was involved in the hiring process and there was no evidence the hiring process was modified to give the appellant any advantage. An ambiguous comment by the supervisor for the vacant position, who also served on the interview panel, which could be interpreted as an indication of bias against the appellant did not generate an abuse of discretion. Jahnke v. DHSS, 89-0094-PC-ER, 89-0098-PC, 12/13/90
Respondent's selection decision was upheld where respondent developed a series of questions which were related to the functions assigned to the position, all candidates were asked the same questions, their responses were rated separately by each panel member, the resulting scores were combined and the candidate obtaining the highest score was offered the position after first checking references. The experience and knowledge of the person selected more closely matched all of the areas which respondent had determined were important in performing in the position than did appellant's experience and knowledge. Mott v. DOA, 89-0119-PC, 12/13/90
Respondent abused its discretion when it ceased to consider the appellant for a vacant position primarily because the director of the hiring unit believed appellant had been terminated by that unit from a similar position 10 years earlier and it was policy not to rehire an employe who had been terminated, where the position involved menial tasks which posed relatively low risks for respondent and the Commission found that appellant had resigned and had not been terminated. Bjornson v. UW, 90-0004-PC, 10/4/90; rehearing denied, 1/11/91
Respondent abused its discretion when it manipulated the hiring process to avoid hiring the appellant by ignoring the numerical results of the interview process and substituted a sort of popularity contest which resulted in the lowest-ranked candidate being selected. Zebell v. DILHR, 90-0017-PC, 10/4/90
Two selection decisions were sustained where there was an insufficient basis on which to conclude that the selection criteria were unreasonable, were not uniformly applied, were not the actual criteria utilized or that the interviewer's assessments of the candidates were unreasonable in view of the candidates' presentations during the interviews and in view of the selection criteria. The interviewer's comment during the first interview that the respondent did not need people with appellant's negative attitude did not demonstrate animus toward appellant but reflected the interviewer's opinion of the type of attitude required of respondent's employes. Sonnenberg v. Lottery Board, 89-0036, 0069-PC, 4/19/90
Respondent abused its discretion when it violated its own in-house selection procedure of obtaining a consensus of the four-person interview panel where two of the four panelists were not consulted prior to the selection of one of the candidates. Thornton v .DNR, 88-0089-PC, 11/15/89
Respondent abused its discretion when two of the four interview panelists virtually placed a substantive value on the answer to a question which was not job-related. Appellant was asked during the interview, whether, if he received the appointment to the position in Dodgeville, he would move to that area. Based on his response, two panelists decided the appellant would not comply with the agency's residency requirement. This decision was made before the panelists verified their belief with the appellant and before giving the appellant an opportunity to request an exception from the agency secretary, even though such an exception was specifically provided for in the agency's rules. Thornton v. DNR, 88-0089-PC, 11/15/89
No abuse of discretion was shown where all of the questions asked of the candidates were reasonably related to the duties of the position, appellant's qualifications were not clearly superior to those of the successful candidate, the panelists awarded complainant fewer points than the successful candidate and one of the three interviewers characterized the appellant as being "hostile" during the interview in addition to testifying that the successful candidate did very well in the interview. Bloedow v. DHSS, 87-0014-PC-ER, etc., 8/24/89
There was no abuse of discretion even though some of the panelists incorrectly added up the scores for the various questions asked of the candidates where the errors did not result in a change in the ranking of the candidates by either the individual panelists or by the panel as a whole. Bloedow v. DHSS, 87-0014-PC-ER, etc., 8/24/89
No abuse of discretion was shown where the criteria used by the respondent in reaching the decision were reasonably related to the duties and responsibilities of the position, the selection criteria were applied uniformly and the respondent was justified in reaching the conclusion that it did as a result of the application of such criteria. Wali v. PSC, 87-0081-PC, 87-0080-PC-ER, 4/7/89
No abuse of discretion was shown where there was no basis on which to conclude that the selection criteria were unreasonable, were not uniformly applied, or were not the actual criteria utilized by the respondent or that the interviewing panelist's assessments of the candidates were not reasonable in view of the presentations of the candidates at the interviews and in view of the selection criteria. The failure to appoint the appellant to the position was not illegal where the appellant lacked those mandatory restoration rights claimed by her. Larson v. DILHR, 86-0019-PC-ER, 86-0013-PC, 1/12/89
Appellant failed to establish that the respondent acted illegally or abused its discretion in not hiring him to fill a vacancy even though the respondent had previously acted illegally when it offered the position in question to someone who was listed on an expired register. Appellant was unable to rely on the previous illegality to show that the ultimate failure or refusal to appoint him to the vacancy was invalid where the prior offer was withdrawn and the selection process was reinitiated. Thornton v. DNR, 88-0012-PC, 1/12/89
Apparently conflicting opinions by a respondent's examining physician and appellant's osteopath did not generate a conclusion that the decision not the select the appellant was clearly against reason. Absent expert testimony on which the Commission could conclude that the procedures or conclusions of respondent's physician setting lifting and bending restrictions on the appellant were unwarranted or inappropriate, appellant failed to sustain his burden of proof. Lauri v. DHSS, 87-0175-PC, 11/3/88
It is not the Commission's role to determine which of an unlimited number of possible selection criteria it would have been best for respondent to utilize but rather to determine whether the criteria used by respondent were reasonably related to the duties and responsibilities of the position to be filled and were uniformly applied. Royston v. DVA, 86-0222-PC, 3/10/88
Where 65% of the successful candidate's time would be devoted to supervising and program management responsibility, respondent's reliance on supervisory and program management experience as primary selection criteria was not unreasonable. Royston v. DVA, 86-0222-PC, 3/10/88
The existence of an affirmative action plan with affirmative action goals does not establish a requirement that an employer hire a woman, a member of an ethnic/racial minority or a handicapped person for a position. Royston v. DVA, 86-0222-PC, 3/10/88
Respondent's selection decision for a Printing Technician position was upheld where the successful candidate had a broader exposure, through course work, to printing than did the appellant and the successful candidate had superior public contact skills. Jensen v. UW-Milwaukee, 86-0144-PC, 11/4/87
The successful candidate for a Printing Technician position had sufficient knowledge of the printing craft to perform the functions of the job. Some form of orientation is inevitable in any new job in order to understand the system of operation, i.e., orienting a new employe as to the means of utilizing basic knowledge of the craft rather than teaching the incumbent that basic knowledge required in a position. Jensen v. UW-Milwaukee, 86-0144-PC, 11/4/87
Respondent's selection decision was upheld where the successful candidate had more extensive experience in one of the two main responsibilities of the vacant position and "came across better" during the interview, and where the complainant's response to a background questionnaire was incomplete. Nothing supported appellant's contention that the selection decision resulted from threats to the decision-maker by others. Respondent did not abuse its discretion by not confirming the information on candidate's work history questionnaire or not confirming that the candidates were actually qualified in the two requisite building trades. Friedrich v. UW-Platteville, 86-0210-PC, 6/24/87
Respondent's selection decision was affirmed where the criteria utilized in making the decision were reasonably related to the duties and responsibilities of the vacant position and were uniformly applied. The supervisor had mistakenly assumed that the vacancy could be filled via promotion (without competition) and had developed a proposal to promote employe #1. Once the supervisor learned that competition would be required, she obtained a list of certified eligibles including employe #1. Neither employe #1 nor appellant were selected. Stichert v. UW-Oshkosh, 86-0197-PC, 6/11/87
It was clearly not against reason and evidence for the appointing authority to conclude that the successful applicant was a better candidate than the appellant for the subject position where appellant lacked enthusiasm for the position, demonstrated resistance to changing the status quo, and where the appointing authority was aware of problems regarding appellant's work performance. In contrast, the successful applicant was enthusiastic and demonstrated great creativity and flexibility while her references did not cite any problems with her work performance. McIntyre v. DHSS, 86-0140-PC, 4/15/87
The non-selection of the appellant for a Boiler Safety Inspector I position was not an abuse of discretion even though the appellant already had the necessary certification requirements to independently conduct boiler inspections and the successful candidate could be expected to spend six months or more in a training capacity until being able to pass the certification test, where it was the typical agency experience to hire an applicant who did not possess the requisite certification and the respondent had determined that white males had always occupied the position and there was a resistance in the decision to affirmative action considerations and the person selected was both qualified and a minority. However, the selection decision was found to be illegal. Kesterson v. DILHR & DER, 85-0081-PC & 85-0105-PC-ER, 12/29/86
The appointing authority is not required to apply every reasonable criterion in making a hiring decision. It is not the role of the Commission to determine which criteria should have been applied, i.e., to substitute its judgment for that of the appointing authority. Romaker v. DHSS, 86-0015-PC, 9/17/86
Respondent did not abuse its discretion in not selecting the appellant for a vacant Institution Security Director I position where the person selected had superior interpersonal skills even though the appellant had far better security and supervisory experience, and where the successful candidate would have an opportunity to pick up the necessary security knowledge during the interval between the hiring decision and the date the first maximum security patients arrived. However, the certification of the successful candidate was found to be illegal. Paul v. DHSS & DMRS, 82-156-PC & 82-PC-ER-69, 6/19/86
Respondent's decision not to select the appellant, who ranked number I on the examination and had significant experience in property assessment, for either of two vacant Property Assessment Technician 1 positions was affirmed where the individual who made the decision was not aware of the candidate's test scores or rankings, the positions did not perform assessments but were responsible for performing support services to persons who did the professional assessment/appraisal work, the positions were assigned nearly 50% data processing work on a short-term basis, the two successful candidates had skills in either word processing, data entry or both and there was no indication that the appellant had such skills. Wilterdink v. DOR, 85-0072-PC, 2/6/86
The Commission found an abuse of discretion where the person who had the effective authority to make the hiring decision bore an animus toward the appellant, was predisposed not to hire him and manipulated the process to prevent appellant from being hired despite the fact that the appellant was the best qualified candidate. Pearson v. UW-Madison, 84-0219-PC, 9/16/85; affirmed by Dane County Circuit Court, Pearson v. UW & Pers. Comm., 85-CV-5312, 6/25/86; affirmed by Court of Appeals District IV, 86-1449, 3/5/87
Respondent's decision not to select the appellant for a vacant BMH 2 position at UW-Stevens Point was affirmed even though appellant was employed as a BMH 3 at UW-La Crosse, where the employment interviews were conducted uniformly and questions about work experience were not asked because the BMH 2 position is an entry level position. Kraklow v. UW, 84-0237-PC, 7/3/85
No abuse of discretion was found where, as to each of five selection decisions, the selection criteria were reasonably related to the duties of the positions and, based upon the application of those criteria, the appellant was less qualified than the successful applicants. Pflugrad v. DMRS & DHSS, 83-0176-PC, 6/6/85
Appellant failed to show that respondent's decision to select another candidate was illegal or an abuse of discretion where respondents had concluded 1) that the successful applicant was qualified and 2) that by hiring her, respondent would satisfy a goal of its affirmative action plan. Hoppenrath v. DOT, 83-0065-PC, 2/29/84
Decision by respondent to hire someone other than appellant was affirmed, where the successful applicant had more experience that was particularly relevant to the duties of the vacant position and had performed better than the appellant during the oral interview. Ebert v. DILHR, 81-64-PC, 11/9/83
Respondent's failure to select appellant for positions in question was neither illegal nor an abuse of discretion where respondent reasonably concluded that appellant was not as well qualified as those sixteen applicants ultimately hired for janitorial positions and where appellant had held six different positions during the prior 4-2 year period and had been terminated once for a personality conflict and once for a verbal attack on a nun escorting a group of children who had walked on a floor complainant had just waxed. Vesperman v. UW-Madison, 81-232-PC, 81-PC-ER-66, 3/31/83
The respondent's failure to appoint the appellant to the position in question was neither illegal nor an abuse of discretion where the appellant's reinstatement eligibility was permissive, and there were valid selection criteria, including a better attendance record in prior employment and an excellent, stable employment history, supporting the appointment decision that was made. Ronne v. UW, 82-160-PC, 11/11/82
Where the appellant had more technical competence at the time than the appointee, but the employer had legitimate concerns about appellant's communications and interpersonal relations skills, it could not be concluded that the appointment decision was clearly against reason and evidence and therefore an abuse of discretion. Harbort v. DILHR, 81-74-PC, 4/2/82
ln an appeal pursuant to §230.44(l)(d), Stats., of a non-appointment with respect to which the appellant alleged sex discrimination and retaliation, the Commission applied the type of analysis set forth in McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792 (1973), and found no such discrimination following a discussion of the material circumstances including the relative qualifications of the applicants. Jacobson v. DILHR, 79-28-PC, 4/10/81
No abuse of discretion was found where the appellant, an employe of the appointing authority, was evaluated on the basis of his employment with the agency, and where the allegation of anti-union animus was not supported by evidence of more than common-place labor-management friction. Baker v. Secretary of State, 80-183-PC, 12/17/80
Appellant failed to show that respondent's failure to appoint her was illegal or an abuse of discretion where both the appellant and the successful applicant were certified and the respondent adduced credible evidence that there were justifiable grounds for selecting the successful applicant as the better qualified applicant. Spink v. DHSS, 78-9-PC, 2/9/79
615.5(2) Who is considered
A conclusion that an appointment was made outside the 60 day period referenced in §230.25(2)(b), Stats., would not result in an order voiding the certification or the appointment. Seitter v. DOT & DMRS, 94-0021-PC, 3/9/95
Multiple certifications and an appointment were neither illegal or an abuse of discretion, even though the ultimate appointment occurred more than 60 days after the initial certification as provided in §230.25(2)(b), Stats., where an initial appointment, made within the 60 day period was invalidated because the successful candidate was certified based upon receiving veterans preference points to which he was not entitled, where the appointing authority then worked with DMRS to obtain additional certifications and the appointing authority at least implicitly requested an extension of the 60 day period or a new 60 day period that was implicitly granted. DMRS did not abuse its authority when it did not order the appointing authority to make an appointment within the initial 60 day period, from the group of interested candidates who remained interested in the position, because to do so would have been inconsistent with additional time implicitly granted by DMRS and would have forced the appointing authority to forego the opportunity to have a full slate of certified candidates from which to choose. The reasoning process of DMRS which resulted in a conclusion, some time after the initial appointment was invalidated, that a vacancy had been created which required a new appointment and that a reasonable time to complete this was 60 days, was not an abuse of discretion. Seitter v. DOT & DMRS, 94-0021-PC, 3/9/95
Respondent's action was affirmed where it was clear that respondent did not use open recruitment to fill the subject position in order to prevent the appellant from obtaining the position and the appellant failed to establish that respondent engaged in any illegal action or abuse of discretion during the recruiting and hiring process. Ransom v. UW, 87-0125-PC, 9/20/89
Respondent's decision to deny appellant's request to be interviewed for a position where, by the time the appellant contacted the agency regarding the vacancy, interviews had been completed and the position had been offered to and accepted by a qualified candidate. Wing v. DMRS & DPI, 85-0013-PC, 9/23/87
Respondent's selection decision was affirmed where the criteria utilized in making the decision were reasonably related to the duties and responsibilities of the vacant position and were uniformly applied. The supervisor had mistakenly assumed that the vacancy could be filled via promotion (without competition) and had developed a proposal to promote employe #1. Once the supervisor learned that competition would be required, she obtained a list of certified eligibles including employe #1. Neither employe #1 nor appellant were selected. Stichert v. UW-Oshkosh, 86-0197-PC, 6/11/87
The non-selection of the appellant was illegal where the respondent's action of appointing an expanded certification candidate violated certain statutes relating to affirmative action and the Fair Employment Act. Kesterson v. DILHR & DER, 85-0081-PC & 85-0105-PC-ER, 12/29/86
The Commission affirmed respondent's decision not to seek interviews with all of the 20 applicants who were eligible for the vacant position. The respondent had utilized five job related factors in screening the applicants based upon their resumes and had eliminated 15 of the 20 eligibles in this manner. Schmaltz v. UW-Madison, 85-0004-PC, 10/29/86
The respondent violated §230.03(4m), Stats., when it decided to use expanded certification after comparing the proportion of minority incumbents in the ISD-1 classification to the proportion of minorities in the state population as a whole rather than to the percentage of minorities from amongst all those persons who were "qualified and available" for hire in the ISD-I classification. Respondent also violated §§230.01(2) and .03(4m), Stats., when it made a work force analysis based upon job category ("Officers and Administrators") rather than a classification (ISD-1). Therefore, the resulting decision to appoint someone whose name appeared on the list of candidates due to expanded certification was illegal. Paul v. DHSS & DMRS, 82-156-PC & 82-PC-ER-69, 6/19/86
There was no illegal action or abuse of discretion in failing to interview the appellant, who was in layoff status with permissive reinstatement rights to the position in question, where the appointing authority had a reasonable basis for concluding that he was 11not qualified" for the position in question, and there was no necessity to have interviewed anyone who was not certified for the position. McCabe v. UW, 82-20-PC, 9/30/82
The Commission determined that there was no illegal action or abuse of discretion with respect to an appointment process where the original register for two vacancies consisted of six names chosen on a competitive promotional employing unit basis, only four names remained for the second position, the agency requested an additional certification, the vacancy was reannounced on a statewide open competitive basis, and after a delay a new register was established. Also, there was no evidence that a candidate had been given information about the exam in advance thereof, and there was nothing improper about the makeup of the post certification interview panel. Toigo et al. v. UW & DP, 80-206-PC, 6/3/81
615.5(4) Who decides
Respondent's hiring decision did not constitute an abuse of discretion where there was conflicting testimony about whether animosity existed between appellant and his supervisor, but in any event the record reflected that the supervisor neither participated in nor influenced the interview panel which ranked appellant third among four candidates, and that the selected candidate had superior qualifications for the position. Ransom v. UW, 92-0234-PC, 2/9/94
Respondent's use of a single person (as opposed to a panel) to interview certified candidates was neither illegal nor an abuse of discretion. Rosenbauer v. UW-Milwaukee, 91-0086-PC, 91-0071-PC-ER, 9/24/93
It was reasonable for respondent to select a person for the interview panel who had previously acted as supervisor for those duties representing 40% of the vacant position, despite the fact that the person was also first line supervisor of the appellant. Stichert v. UW-Oshkosh, 86-0197-PC, 6/11/87
Where the interview process was not part of the competitive examination process for the subject position and the interview process was intended to be advisory only, the person who made the selection decision was authorized to exercise his discretion and to appoint the best candidate from the list of eligibles and the decision-maker was not required to appoint the candidate with the highest interview score. Romaker v. DHSS, 86-0015-PC, 9/17/86
615.5(6) Candidate references or recommendations
The action by one of the interviewers to withdraw his recommendation to hire appellant for an elevator inspector vacancy was not an abuse of discretion where, after making the recommendation, the interviewer received information from a variety of sources indicating appellant was not a desirable candidate for the vacancy. It was not unreasonable for the interviewer to choose to rely on the multiple sources of negative information about appellant's work history, rather than to simply ignore that information and proceed with the hiring process. While the interviewer could have sought even more information about the appellant before he decided to withdraw the recommendation, the abuse of discretion standard did not require him to do more than he did. Holley v. DOCom, 98-0016-PC, 1/13/99
A state employe who had inspected appellant's work as an elevator mechanic did not abuse his discretion when he provided negative information about appellant's work to the hiring panel that was considering employing appellant as an elevator inspector. Appellant did not show that the state employe's own work would have been negatively affected if appellant had been hired. The state employe's observations of appellant were corroborated by other persons. Appellant failed to show that any animosity between the state employe and the appellant had a bearing on the reliability of the employe's observations. Holley v. DOCom, 98-0016-PC, 1/13/99
Respondent's decision not to hire appellant as a Forestry Technician 5 was upheld. Appellant was ranked highest after all candidates had been interviewed, but three of the four panelists were concerned about appellant's communication style and his interpersonal skills. Respondent's subsequent reference checks of appellant's listed references, firms listed on his resume and respondent's area staff, generated four positive responses and four negative responses. The negative responses included statements that appellant was very quiet, not aggressive and did not get along with other people. The contacts also indicated that appellant had been fired by one employer and did not "work out" for a second employer. The panel decided not to recommend appellant for the position. Lee v. DNR, 97-0081-PC, 10/9/98
Respondent did not abuse its discretion by not selecting the appellant for vacant Nurse Clinician positions where the assistant director of nursing had contacted the hospital which had previously employed the appellant, had asked as to the reason for terminating appellants employment and had been advised by someone who identified himself as an attending physician rather than as appellants supervisor: "As far as I can tell, it had to do with advocating too strongly for patients (clients) (vs. not enough)," and where appellant had not volunteered some information to respondent about her termination at the hospital. While appellant attempted to compare respondents handling of her situation with that of other candidates, appellant failed to show that her case was really parallel with those of the other candidates in question. However, respondent was found to have abused its discretion when it subsequently reevaluated appellants application and decided not to hire her for a different reason. Neldaughter v. DHFS, 96-0054-PC, 2/14/97
While it was possible that the appellant would have been able to successfully perform as a Registered Nurse in the vacancy in question, it could not be said that the decision not to hire her was an abuse of discretion where a "damning" reference signed by four of the appellant's instructors at her nursing school was quite current and raised concerns which specifically related to the duties of the vacancy. Skaife v. DHSS, 91-0133-PC, 12/3/91
No abuse of discretion was found as to respondent's failure to check the appellant's references where all three members of the interview panel were quite familiar with the appellant and her work based on the appellant's five years of employment with the department. Certain inconsistencies in the record (i.e. more candidates' references were actually checked than had been described in testimony and the successful candidate submitted fewer references than had been requested) were insufficiently indicative of an abuse of discretion to support a finding for the appellant. Jensen v. UW-Milwaukee, 86-0144-PC, 11/4/87
An abuse of discretion was found where the appointing authority failed to check the current references of an applicant, but instead relied on the comments of her supervisors in a prior job, where the complainant had testified adversely about one of the supervisors before the legislature, and there was a variance between his comments about her to the appointing authority and his written evaluations in her personnel file. Jacobson v. DILHR, 79-28-PC, 4/10/81
In determining whether an appointment decision is illegal under §230.20(2), Stats., the Commission's role is to determine whether the appointing believed that any recommendation considered by the appointing authority provided an objective evaluation of an applicant's character, training, etc., in the sense that it was an evaluation that a reasonable person in an appropriate position would have made. It may be appropriate in a given case for the Commission to consider whether a recommendation could be considered objective and whether "there was a rational basis" for the recommendation. The latter may be relevant to the question of whether the recommendation was objective, which in turn may be relevant to the question of whether the appointing authority in fact believed the recommendation was objective. The Commission found, in the case before it, that the evaluation was objective and the appointing authority believed it was an objective evaluation. McIntyre v. DHSS, 86-0140-PC, 4/15/87
In making a selection decision for the position of assistant superintendent of a minimum security correctional facility for men, the decision-maker's reliance on a comparison of the quality of the candidate's work performance in minimum security correctional institutions was reasonable. The decision-maker reasonably relied upon his own knowledge of the candidate's work performance rather than on knowledge he could have gained from contacting references. Romaker v. DHSS, 86-0015-PC, 9/17/86
615.5(9) Other issues
A contract was created when a letter of appointment was sent to the appellant after the appellant had verbally accepted an offer of a civil service position. Respondent's conduct in setting the rate of pay upon selection was "a fraud or a manifest abuse of discretion" where the letter of appointment showed his rate of pay as $8.522 per hour and made his appointment effective on February 2nd, and on February 11th, the appellant was informed that his rate of pay would be set at $8.352 as a result of legislation which became effective on February 1st. A reduction of the appellant's salary would work a severe injustice to the appellant if equitable estoppel were not applied. Appellant was awarded the higher level of pay until he received a raise which brought his pay above the $8.522 level. Siebers v. Wis. Pers. Comm., Outagamie County Circuit Court, 89 CV 00578, 11/9/89
Respondent did not fail to fulfill an agreement to hire appellant, even though appellant understood he had been offered a job, where no unconditional employment offer had actually been made to appellant by respondent. There was nothing written tending to support appellant's contention he had accepted a formal offer of employment, and the person who spoke to appellant on the telephone did not have the authority to hire the appellant. That authority rested with the department secretary, and it was undisputed he never took such action. Holley v. DOCom, 98-0016-PC, 1/13/99
While it is the better practice to retain records created as part of a hiring process, no legal mandate for retention exists. Postler v. DOT, 94-0016-PC, 94-0024-PC-ER, 10/16/95; affirmed by Dane County Circuit Court, Postler v. Wis. Pers. Comm., et al, 95CV003178, 10/9/96; affirmed by Court of Appeals, Postler v. Wis. Pers. Comm., 96-3350, 1/27/98
Respondent appointing authority's action of mailing a letter regarding a post-certification interview to the address which appellant had provided was neither illegal nor an abuse of discretion, nor an obstruction nor falsification pursuant to §230.43(1), Stats. Morgan v. DHSS, 93-0089-PC, 9/24/93
Respondent's failure to give all candidates the same opportunity to augment their resumes with details concerning their training and experience constituted an abuse of discretion. Rosenbauer v. UW-Milwaukee, 91-0086-PC, 91-0071-PC-ER, 9/24/93
Respondent's decision to promote two other candidates to vacancies in preference to appellant was not an abuse of discretion where respondent had a rational basis for preferring the selected candidates--better rankings on their oral interviews, more positive opinions regarding their past performance, and concerns about certain aspects of appellant's performance--and appellant could not show that these reasons were lacking in substance or unreasonable. There is no requirement that an appointee to a position satisfy on appointment all the prerequisites for reclassification to the class level for the position. Orr v. OCI, 92-0018-PC, 92-0025-PC-ER, 10/29/92
The state civil service system is entirely a statutory creation which cannot be overridden by individual contracts of employment created by and between individual state employes and applicants for employment. Appellant's starting salary was governed by the relevant pay plan, and this could not be altered on the theory that he had a contract with the state as a result of the salary representation in his letter of appointment. Kelling v. DHSS, 87-0047-PC, 3/12/91
Respondent's conduct in setting the rate of pay upon transfer/promotion did not amount to "a fraud or a manifest abuse of discretion" where as soon as the respondent discovered its error, they took steps to correct it and the appellant was given an opportunity to return to her prior position but declined. Respondent had advised the appellant that the transaction would be a promotion. However, as a consequence of the implementation of the Comparable Worth Plan approximately three months prior to the date of the transaction, the pay range of the classification of the appellant's prior position was upgraded. Respondent did not take the change into account until after the appellant had received a letter of appointment which continued to incorrectly identify the appointment as a promotion accompanied by a pay increase and after the appellant had begun working in the new position. Meschefske v. DHSS & DMRS, 88-0057-PC, 7/14/89
The acceptance of an application for civil service employment does not constitute an employment contract or entitle the applicant to some contractual right which determines the nature of the transaction or the starting pay. Meschefske v. DHSS & DMRS, 88-0057-PC, 7/14/89
Respondent's action to reduce the appellant's starting salary after his appointment but before he received his first pay check was neither illegal nor an abuse of discretion, where the pay rate initially quoted to the appellant was incorrect. Before accepting the job offer, the appellant worked in the private sector. In reviewing the necessary elements of equitable estoppel, the Commission concluded that 1) the appellant's reliance on the wage rate contained in respondent's job offer was not "to his detriment" when there were reasons other than salary that prompted appellant to obtain state employment and there was no adverse pay effect at either pay rate as compared to his salary at his previous job and that 2) the respondent's conduct did not amount to fraud or to a manifest abuse of discretion. Taddey v. DHSS, 86-0156-PC, 5/5/88
While it is not improper per se to consider the performance of an appointee in making an "abuse of discretion" analysis of a selection decision, other factors usually carry more weight in that evaluation and care must be exercised because of the danger that scrutiny of post-appointment performance can lead to an extensive, time-consuming "sideshow", whose costs may exceed its value to the adjudicative process. Kesterson v. DILHR & DER, 85-0081-PC & 85-0105-PC-ER, 12/29/86
While it was regrettable that the appellant, who was asthmatic, was not given notice about a chemical exposure training requirement prior to his hire to an Institution Aide 5 position, there was no showing that the requirement constituted an undue health hazard to the appellant. [Note: This conclusion was reached only after the Commission had found the appeal to have been untimely filed; and, therefore, represents dictum.] Hebert v. DHSS, 84-0233-PC & 84-0193-PC-ER, 10/l/86
Pursuant to §230.33(3), Stats., an employe such as the appellant who is appointed to a position in the unclassified service from the classified service, cannot receive less than the employe received while actually serving in the classified position; it does not mean that the employe continues to receive what the employe would be receiving in the classified position if the employe had never left the classified position. Phillips v. DILHR, 82-43-PC, 7/7/83
While this digest has been prepared by Personnel Commission staff for the convenience of interested persons, it should be remembered that the decisions themselves are the ultimate source of Commission precedent.


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June 1st, 2015
If you haven't already heard via our social media sites, you may have missed the start of our Home Is…Contest 2015! In this contest, we asked participants to describe using their most creative photo and caption what Home means to them. The entries really capture the diversity of the meaning of home from one individual to the other!
You can find all of the entries on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/MeritRealEstate. Although the contest has already begun, you can still participate by voting and helping your favorite entry win! The winner of this contest will be the entry with the most "Likes" by June 5th 3:00 p.m. and will be taking home a $150 gift card to World Market!
You don't want to miss the next contest! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

subset: commoncrawl


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Watch the Alcohol
Alcohol is a double whammy: It's loaded with calories and it lowers your inhibitions, which means you'll probably end up eating more than you planned. Avoid seasonal drinks like spiked eggnog, buttered rum, and peppermint (schnapps) hot chocolate, which are laden with calories, sugar, and fat. Instead, stick with wine or champagne (one medium goblet), wine spritzers (one or two glasses), or light beer (two cans or bottles, max).


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Growth Trends for Related Jobs
Entry Level Marketing Job Description
Candidates have myriad choices when searching for entry-level marketing jobs. About one-third of all U.S. workers are employed in marketing-related careers, according to Purdue University. Some of the more common entry-level marketing positions are marketing coordinator and assistant marketing or product manager. If you are creative, analytical and can make sound decisions, you might be well-suited for an entry-level marketing position.
Primary Duties
Entry-level marketing professionals are usually responsible for helping marketing managers develop product, pricing, advertising and distribution strategies. If you are responsible for product strategies, you determine which products, features and styles consumers want through market research, and introduce those products to the marketplace. Product pricing is based on what consumers are willing to pay, which you determine through customer surveys and by studying prices of competitive products. In advertising, you determine which media sources -- television, radio, magazines, Internet and social media -- best reach target customers, and schedule the placement of ads. You might also write copy for some of the ads. Distribution strategies are usually based on where your customers shop: Wholesale and retail stores, showrooms or via the Internet.
Adminstrative Duties
Most entry-level marketing professionals do not supervise people, but they might train new employees on company policies and procedures. In this role, you might also assist marketing managers or directors in writing training manuals for new employees. If you primarily work in advertising, you monitor and track various advertisements, and help determine which sources to allocate more or fewer financial resources.
Work Environment
Most entry-level marketing professionals work in offices, Monday to Friday, during the day. Some evenings and weekends might be necessary to meet project deadlines. Nineteen percent of marketing and advertising managers worked 50 or more hours per week in 2010, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, so expect to put in some overtime in an entry-level marketing job. Marketing work is often faced-paced so you might experience some pressure in meeting important deadlines.
Education and Training
Most entry-level marketing positions require bachelor's degrees in marketing or business. Consider getting a master's degree to increase your number of employment opportunities. This postgraduate degree might also help you get promoted to higher-level positions, including that of marketing manager or director. Training is mostly on the job, but many colleges offer internships in marketing, advertising and other marketing-related careers. If you are changing careers, consider working part-time for a consumer products company in the marketing department or in an advertising agency to gain experience.
Average Salary and Job Outlook
Entry level marketing professionals earned average annual salaries of $46,798 in 2011, according to Indiana University's Kelly School of Business, and the average hourly earnings for marketing internships was $15 per hour. Jobs for marketing managers are expected to increase 14 percent between 2010 and 2020, according to the BLS, as companies need these professionals to maintain market share in the competitive marketplace. The 14 percent growth is on par with the national average for all occupations. Entry-level marketing jobs are likely to be commensurate with those of marketing managers, as they provide support for these professionals.
Photo Credits


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A three-kilometre-long swimming area is to be created off the Alicante coast.
A spokesman for Alicante city hall reported that buoys will be installed in the sea to mark out an area off Cabo de las Huertas, which lies to the north of the city centre.
More in Friday's Costa Blanca News – available from supermarkets, tobacconists/newspaper shops and online at www.costa-news.com


text: Thus even the best of forecasters was bound to fall short of reality in a long-term prediction. Today the same situation undoubtedly prevails. Recently the Hudson Institute performed for NASA a study entitled Long Term Prospects for Developments in Space.* This study attempts to take a 200-year forward view, seeking to provide perspective, not accuracy, which would be hopeless. The general perspective furnished by this study is that the enormous potential for the future of space almost certainly will be realized; only the timing is at question. Even here the time difference between optimistic and pessimistic projections appears likely to be but a factor of 2--that is, 100 years is almost certainly enough to accomplish "miracles" which might well be done in 50, or 200 years those which might occur in 100. In the phrase "almost certainly" the "almost" refers to an inherent human capability to make space (or any other) development impracticable either by deliberate destructive threats or actions or by wanton neglect of the required "housekeeping" which, before many years have passed, could even make space operations impractical. However, barring such barbarian behavior, the nature of space development and the rate at which it might proceed will be determined by a number of factors, the more important of which we have found, can be grouped into the five categories shown in Table 1. The first factor, the successful technological development of the various facilities needed in space, seems to me to be relatively assured. Although the exact rate of such developments is uncertain, there is little question that they will be rapid during the balance of this century, and probably indefinitely when not restricted by fundamental physical laws. * By William M. Brown and Herman Kahn. HI-2638-RR, Oct. 30, 1977. NASA Contract: NASW-2924. : 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Table 1 KEYS TO LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENTS IN SPACE SUCCESSFUL TECHNOLOGY DECLINING TRANSPORTATION COSTS TO NEAR-EARTH ORBIT ORBITING SPACE BASES AND PROFITABLE INDUSTRIES LUNAR COLONIES PLANETARY SPACE STATIONS AND COLONIES TOURISM "INEXPENSIVE" SAFE TRANSPORT SPACE HOTELS, HOSPITALS, CONVENTION CENTERS POSITIVE HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS PHYSICAL--MENTAL--EMOTIONAL LONGEVITY INTERACTIONS WITH EARTH INCREASING PRIVATE INVESTMENT NATIONAL ENTHUSIASM INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION QUALITY OF "FRONTIER-LIFE" FAVORABLE SOCIAL DYNAMICS BENIGN POLITICS RAPID ECONOMIC GROWTH However, for the foreseeable future, space-based population will essentially be determined by the relative utility of humans to specialized machines; or at least for as long as the costs for transporting and maintaining astronauts in space are relatively large. Thus, while there will undoubtedly be many specialists required for space exploration, and for the construction, operation and maintenance of orbiting industrial facilities, we cannot now even roughly determine the optimum number of such personnel several decades or more hence. Transportation costs will be a key factor in determining the growth rate of space industrialization, colonization, and tourism. For what it is worth, our long term projections for the costs to place payloads into orbit are given in Figure 1. Even the pessimistic projection reduces such costs about 100-fold over the next 200 years. Space tourism as a spectacular growth industry appears to be a nearly inevitable consequence of space development and an important contributing factor to it. Of course, tours in space must await a general confidence in the safety of the journey and the reduction of costs to acceptable levels--both of which appear to be "in the cards." Our studies suggest that such an industry could begin at about the turn of the century. Initially at a cost of about $100,000 per person (1976 dollars) for a few days in space, such travel would be restricted to the wealthy. Over time it may become feasible for almost anyone--much as travel is today. Our projections of the growth potential for space tourism are shown in Figure 2 for three scenarios. The different outcomes in these scenarios are vast. A hundred years from now the pessimistic scenario visualizes about a thousand tourists per year; the optimistic one, about a hundred million. |


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BEARD OIL - COGNAC 1oz.
Yep, that's right! A unique perfumery component - minute amounts of this tart, dry, wine-like base note will impart unique character to your beard. Intensely rich, sweet, nutty/seed-like, with musky-floral, very tenacious, improves with time. This blend provides lift and help to modifiy certain notes.
*Our 1oz beard oils will come with a drop-by-drop reducer cap. These are really helpful and allow to dispense one drop at a time.
Ingredients: Our Cognac Signature blend consist of jojoba, almond, argan base oil mixed with patchouli, cedarwood, bergamot & Green Cognac essential oils (which has outstanding tenacity and great diffusiveness).
The health benefits of Patchouli Essential Oil can be attributed to its properties as an antidepressant, antiphlogistic, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, astringent, cicatrisant, cytophylactic, deodorant, diuretic, febrifuge, fungicide, insecticide, sedative and tonic substance. Cedarwood oil is equally beneficial in curing acne, arthritis, bronchitis, dandruff, dermatitis, stress, kidney disorders and as a treatment against oily skin. The components of Bergamot Oil, like Alpha Pinene and Limonene, are antidepressant and stimulating in nature. They create a feeling of freshness, joy and energy in cases of sadness and depression by improving the circulation of the blood. They also stimulate hormonal secretions, thereby helping to maintain proper metabolic rates.
Hand-made from 100% natural ingredients.
*Information provided by www.organicfacts.net


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The Honours
Sale price
Regular price
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1935. Norfolk. War is looming in Great Britain and the sprawling country estate of Alderberen Hall is shadowed by suspicion and paranoia. Thirteen-year-old Delphine Venner is determined to uncover the secrets of the Hall's elite society, which has taken in her gullible mother and unstable father. As she explores the house and discovers the secret network of hidden passages that thread through the estate, Delphine uncovers a world more dark and threatening than she ever imagined.


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Parfums MDCI - Painters and Perfumers - Bleu Satin
Distinguished. Radiant. Lively.
Developed by perfumer Cécile Zarokian and inspired by Thomas Gainsborough's famous oil painting "The Blue Boy", Bleu Satin is a bright, fresh, and radiant fruity fragrance intended primarily for men. Cécile Zarokian has created a subtle masterpiece of contemporary perfumery. The fragrance plays around the three things that has made the boy in blue so unique over the centuries: the color of the boy's gorgeous clothes, his expression, and the deep, dark contrast of the background.
Bleu Satin opens with an exuberant and sparkling brocade of juicy bergamot and electric green notes, fused over a deliciously fruity heart consisting of intoxicating cassis and mouthwateringly fresh, pink watermelon set against a backdrop of hypnotically lush jasmine - fresh and elegant in equal measure. The fruity lightness of the melon is grounded by the bitter-sweet, slightly earthy aroma of blackcurrant, symbolizing the fascination of the facial expression of the boy: allegedly innocent and formal, yet concealed behind a slight smile and black eyes, the irrepressible sparkle of a deeply mischievous character.
A foundation of gently-spiced leather is created by the knitting together of thousands of red-gold saffron threads in the oriental manner. The nuance of noble woods provides a striking backdrop, which emphasizes the proud, courtly and magnificent silhouette of the composition all the more. What remains is an expression of modern vitality, speaking to grandeur as well as to an unclouded self-confidence.


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Let's just take a second to acknowledge this misinformed fan's passion for the Miami Heat. He may not realize that the franchise he roots for only has themselves to blame, but he is still riding their bandwagon well after the 'Big 3' broke up and left a trail of fleeing, disillusioned Floridians in it's wake. It's been two years since LeBron left town, and that's basically the NBA equivalent of an eternity. I'm honestly just glad there is still someone out there that cares enough about the Miami Heat that the departure of the team's most accomplished player prompted him to prove his fandom by sparking up the firing barrel. That being said, anyone cursing the name of one Dwyane Wade while still backing the franchise that he brought three championships to needs to reexamine the situation. It's always easier to blame the player leaving than the management that may - or may not - have been complicit in them leaving, but it would be disingenuous to put this breakup on anyone other than Pat Riley and the rest of Miami's front office. I suppose it would it be nice if every face of the franchise was as selfless as Dirk Nowitzki, but it's not realistic to expect a player to take it in stride when a bunch of people - much richer than himself - continually trivialize his importance to their success. Fact is, this wasn't Dwyane Wade leaving for an extra $7 million over two years. It was Dwayne Wade putting his foot down after years upon years of being under-prioritized. A guy - that at 34 years of age - was still carrying his team through the playoffs was treated as the THIRD order of business by that very same team. A guy that has consistently taken less money for the good of the organization sat around with - what can only be described as - an insulting contract offer in his hands as that same organization backed up the Brinks truck to overpay an enigmatic big man with no more than one good season under his belt. His loyalty was taken advantage of as the team he had done so much for was more concerned with throwing money - that he rightfully considered his - at a player that stood very little chance of accepting it anyway. If Miami Heat fans want to burn jerseys then burn them logo side up because the team chose business over allegiance, not the player that finally grew tired of his devotion being one sided. Pray for Hassan Whiteside... Leave a Reply. |
January 2020


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Modest Mouse Is Returning To Portland In October
Modest Mouse seems to like autumn in Maine. the alt-rock band will be back for another performance at the State Theatre on Thursday, October 4th.
Modest Mouse spent a little time last October in Maine as well, and they'll be bringing their tour back for another group of rabid fans. If you're a Modest Mouse fan and have experienced their live performances, you know that no two shows are the same. The setlist is constantly changing night in and night out, and you can expect the same on October 4th.
This is an all-ages show. Tickets go on-sale Friday, May 18th at 10am.


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There was an error or two and the understandable attacking rust in his first outing at his new club, however those in attendance would agree that overall it was a promising Sharks debut for Matt Moylan in the club's first trial match of 2018.
Moylan showed glimpses of his speed and silky skill and while his combination with halves partner Chad Townsend will be a work in progress, coach Shane Flanagan gave his new recruit a pass mark in game one.
"That's what [the trial] was about, getting them to play in game conditions together and they did some nice things together," Flanagan said.
"They made an error on their first set but they fixed that up and they're only going to get better. They both looked comfortable in their roles and they got our team around the park pretty well."
Moylan played around 30-minutes of game time, the majority at five eighth, with a short cameo at fullback as well when Valentine Holmes was taken from the field and youngster Kyle Flanagan was injected into the contest.
He also assumed the first half goal kicking duties, slotting one from a wide angle while narrowly missing a second from a similar spot on the field.
Later talking with Sharks TV, Moylan was both relieved and excited to have got his first game out of the way for his new club.
See what he had to say, with Moylan's interview now playing on Sharks TV.


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- 1 How do Cross Timber public insurance adjusters work?
- 2 What is the difference between a public adjuster and an insurance adjuster in Cross Timber TX?
- 3 How long does it take for an adjuster to come out?
- 4 How do you become an insurance adjuster in Cross Timber Texas?
- 5 How long should it take to settle an insurance claim in Cross Timber?
- 6 How quickly must an insurance company pay a claim?
- 7 What is a public adjuster Cross Timber and what do they do?
- 8 How do you become a public adjuster?
- 9 Share this:
- 10 Like this:
Be prepared to spend time and also power on the case procedure if your house or business residential property is harmed or destroyed and you submit an insurance coverage case. Listing as well as explaining whatever you lost and how much it will set you back to repair/replace each item takes extra initiative than the majority of people understand. That's called "recording a claim." It has to be done or you won't get paid the insurance policy bucks you're entitled to. As well as, when that's done, you must discuss with your insurer or you are most likely to obtain paid much less than you are owed.
How do Cross Timber public insurance adjusters work?
There are specialists you can work with to represent you in documenting and negotiating your insurance coverage case. They are recognized in the majority of states as "public insurance adjusters". Public insurance adjusters work just for policyholders, not insurance firms. There are two various other kinds of adjusters: Company, or "team" insurance adjusters who are employed by your insurance provider, and also supposed "independent" insurers that work only for insurance coverage business on an agreement employing basis. Company/staff and independent adjusters are worked with as well as paid by and also report only to insurance companies, not insurance holders. They will certainly be appointed by your insurer to deal with your insurance claim, but they are there as the insurance policy firm's agent … not your own.
What is the difference between a public adjuster and an insurance adjuster in Cross Timber TX?
Your insurance provider may appoint one or several various insurers to your insurance claim during time. Each one might have a various technique and also level of experience. One could have little experience as well as be challenging to communicate with, another could be really pleasant and also have a great deal of experience. Many individuals report to United Policyholders that their initial insurance adjuster used them a settlement amount, after that left the company or was reassigned and also when a brand-new insurance adjuster began, that new insurance adjuster rescinded the offer or made them begin from scratch on the claim. We describe that trouble as "rotating adjusters." United Policyholders aided pass a law in California to secure customers from being victimized by rotating insurers.
How long does it take for an adjuster to come out?
When you sue, you could be great on your own, or you could do far better by employing assistance– it's a private choice you need to make based upon your very own situations. A licensed Public Adjuster can be your rep as well as advocate while getting your claim "adjusted" (refined) and also "worked out", (paid). As with any professional, some Public Adjusters are far better compared to others. The last thing you require when you've suffered a significant loss is added troubles, so display very carefully before you employ. Withstand high-pressure sales pitches and do not work with prematurely. The claim procedure involves leg work, paper job, fundamental mathematics, insurance language, and arrangement.
How do you become an insurance adjuster in Cross Timber Texas?
Lots of people explain their insurance coverage claim experience as a complete time task. The case procedure includes research, paper work, standard mathematics, insurance language, and arrangement. Listing, valuing and defining whatever that was damaged or ruined, meeting insurance adjusters, inspectors and also contractors and examining reports and price quotes is time consuming and also labor-intensive. Bargaining a reasonable claim negotiation could be really challenging – particularly after an emotionally disastrous disaster. UP uses tools as well as suggestions in order to help you handle your case on your very own. After all, the insurance policy security you spent for consists of excellent claim solution.
How long should it take to settle an insurance claim in Cross Timber?
Insurance is huge company, and also you are not on a degree playing field with a large insurance coverage firm. You may find that learning the lingo, doing the mathematics as well as making certain your claim is being fully examined and also relatively paid is excessive for you to manage on your own. Relying on your scenario; job dedications, wellness, car swimming pool duty, an uncooperative insurer, etc., it may simply not be functional to try. Everyone's experience and also situation is a bit various, so when it comes to making the choice whether to work with a specialist to take the insurance coverage case challenges off your plate, the only "right" choice is the one that helps your individual scenario.
How quickly must an insurance company pay a claim?
If you are having problems with your insurer, or if your individual scenario is making it tough for you to handle all the information, you could work with a claim aid expert. In a lot of parts of the U.S. today, you could hire a certified public insurance adjuster on a "contingent" (percent) cost basis who will certainly take control of handling your claim and also discuss a negotiation in your place. A public adjuster is a claim help professional you could hire to represent you in documenting and also bargaining your insurance claim. A public insurance adjuster functions only for insurance policy holders, not insurance companies.
What is a public adjuster Cross Timber and what do they do?
If your home or company property is damaged or ruined and you submit an insurance policy claim, be prepared to spend time and also power on the case process. They will certainly be appointed by your insurance business to function on your claim, however they are there as the insurance company's representative … not your own.
How do you become a public adjuster?
Your insurance coverage business could assign one or numerous different insurance adjusters to your insurance claim over the training course of time. Each person's experience as well as situation is a bit various, so when it comes to making the decision whether or not to hire a professional to take the insurance policy case difficulties off your plate, the only "right" option is the one that works for your personal scenario.
A public insurance adjuster is a claim assistance professional you can employ to represent you in documenting as well as negotiating your insurance policy claim.


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Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 117202
udkapi: Use of undefined macros in header files
Last modified: 2017-05-20 11:27:40 UTC
In the OpenOffice.org3.3_SDK package, there are a couple header files that use macros that may not be defined on certain platforms (e.g., OS X). include/sal/types.h:90 #if (_MSC_VER >= 1000) This can be changed to: #if defined(_MSC_VER) && (_MSC_VER >= 1000) include/osl/diagnose.h: 125 #if OSL_DEBUG_LEVEL > 0 can be changed to: #if defined(OSL_DEBUG_LEVEL) && (OSL_DEBUG_LEVEL > 0) There is a similar situation at include/osl/diagnose.h: 150. Making the above changes will allow the headers to be included while using the gcc -Wundef warning level without generating warnings (a requirement in our system).
getting rid of value "enhancement" for field "severity". For enhancement the field "issue type" shall be used.
Reset assigne to the default "firstname.lastname@example.com".


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The first seed of Eddy & Schein Group was planted in 1990 when Rebecca Eddy was hired by a friend to pay bills while she and her husband were out of the country for six months. She was Rebecca's client for 28 years. Meanwhile, Gideon Schein was caring for his ailing mother, and subsequently her best friend, which was the impetus that led him to take on his first paying client.
Rebecca and Gideon, colleagues in another line of work, shared insights on best practices for clients with each other, and out of that collaboration grew their new company, Eddy & Schein Group. It was incorporated in November 2000.
Unbeknownst to them, the field of Daily Money Management was burgeoning at that time: The American Association of Daily Money Managers (AADMM) had just been founded in 1998 by professionals who were caring for people in much the same way as Gideon and Rebecca. They joined AADMM in 2005 and were excited by the abundance of resources it provided.
The strength of Eddy & Schein Group has been the constant striving to learn anything that could support their work with clients. Over the years, they have attended conferences held by AADMM (www.AADMM.com), National Association of Professional Organizers (www.napo.net), NYC Chapter of the Aging Life Care Association (www.aginglifecare.org), attended seminars hosted by elder law attorneys, trusts and estates attorneys, long-term care specialists, the Financial Planners Association of New York, the Financial Women's Association, and more. Rebecca and Gideon also took Article 81 Guardianship training in order to be better informed about the guardianship process, in case they needed to become guardians.
Both Rebecca and Gideon studied for and passed the certification exam to become two of the first 21 Professional Daily Money Managers (PDMM) in the nation. They are proud to have maintained this prestigious accreditation through continuing education sponsored by AADMM and the AADMM Greater New York Chapter.
The growth of Eddy & Schein Group has been a journey full of fascinating experiences, culminating in what it is today – a one-stop shop for coordinating clients' personal, financial, legal and health insurance matters, and building teams of trusted advisors. Collaborative partners include:
- Elder law attorneys
- Trusts and estates attorneys
- Financial advisors
- Accountants
- Geriatric care managers (Aging life care professionals)
- Professional organizers
- Insurance brokers
Participating in various leadership roles in AADMM, the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and a variety of elder care organizations has also enriched their own lives. They have enjoyed speaking at events around the country and blogging about senior issues that have grown out of experiences with their amazing clients.
Eddy & Schein has grown not only in clients but also in Client Managers and locations. In January 2014, Rebecca and Gideon were proud to hire two employees as Client Managers to take on a caseload that was simply too much for two people. On September 16, 2014, they launched their Los Angeles office. So, in addition to its founders, Eddy & Schein Group currently includes Arlene Glotzer, Madeleine Cody and Martha Feuerstein in New York, and Chris Glaeser in Los Angeles.
And now, in November 2015, the founders of Eddy & Schein Group take this opportunity to celebrate 15 years of service and to express their gratitude to everyone who has made it possible for them to reach this milestone.


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Children are natural born sponges. They tend to follow any example shown to them. Often times they practice and calculate how to use these new words or action in their mind or behind closed doors before they let the world see what they just learned. In other words , when you think your child or any child is not paying attention to you... THEY ARE ALL EARS!
This happens with either positive or negative things. So I challenge us all to purposely do and say something that would affect their sponge positively for the children in your life. Let's discuss some possible purposeful droplets of water we can affect a child with.


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by Matt Weik
I'm always on the lookout for something new to try and upon opening my delivery of Outright Bars I purchased (if you don't like those bars, we can't be friends), I found a sample of MTS Nutrition Machine Fuel at the bottom of the box.
To be honest with you, I've never tried an MTS Nutrition product in the past. Generally, my clients end up sending me a bunch of goodies that I use up and I don't necessarily have a need to go out and buy anything unless I want to try a product that my clients don't have in stock or carry.
Being that it's a free sample (yes, full disclosure, I did not purchase the Machine Fuel, it's merely a sample packet I received), I figured what the heck, it's worth a try. As per the directions, I filled my shaker bottle up with eight ounces of water, poured in the MTS Nutrition Machine Fuel, and sipped on it throughout my workout.
What were my thoughts? Well, you'll just have to read below to find out.
Machine Fuel – Interesting Ingredients
Do you know what I like about Machine Fuel? It's simple. I hate when companies throw everything including the kitchen sink in a product and the profile of the product runs damn near the entire length of the label – it's absurd.
Machine Fuel contains BCAAs (in the form of patented InstAminos®), sodium, taurine, coconut water powder, and patented AgmaPure®. Now, if you know anything about MTS Nutrition, then you know the man behind the brand is Marc Lobliner. If the name sounds familiar, he also owns The Outright Bar, is the CMO for Tiger Fitness, and previously owned the company Scivation that just so happened to be the brand that started the BCAA movement back in the day.
I was a religious customer of Xtend when it first came out. I mega-dosed it to the point where I was using a gallon jug of water and dumping in multiple servings of Xtend each morning and sipping on the jug all day long. While Xtend was a straight (and delicious) BCAA supplement, Machine Fuel is quite different.
Let's take a look at, what I consider, the three key elements of Machine Fuel.
As you would expect, Machine Fuel is made from a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. The interesting part is that unlike many other brands, Marc went with InstAminos® (a vegan BCAA) from Compound Solutions out of Carlsbad, CA.
According to the Compound Solutions website, the InstAminos® claim to fame is "the unique, active ingredient in InstAminos® is Instantized BCAA, a customized blend of three essential amino acids — Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine — proven to stimulate mTOR for protein synthesis required for healthy muscle growth and recovery. As a fundamental ingredient of pre or post-workout formulas, or as ingested during exercise or other physical exertion, InstAminos® redefines long-held beliefs about the time and steps required for muscle recovery."
Coconut Water Extract
When you exercise rigorously, you're going to sweat. And when you sweat, you are losing vital nutrients that if not replenished, can cause some serious issues. Coconut water helps provide the body with sodium, potassium, and chloride. The purpose of coconut water extract is to help improve hydration levels and replenish the nutrients that were used up and lost during your intense workout.
In addition to the rehydration benefits, coconut water extract can also help improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels. You may also experience lowered blood pressure as well through its use. But obviously, no one is buying Machine Fuel for solely those benefits.
AgmaPure® is essentially agmatine sulfate. If you are familiar with arginine, agmatine is simply a metabolite of arginine that can help support the pump you feel during workouts. Not only can AgmaPure® help with vasodilation, but it can also help regulate blood sugar, aid in decreasing perceived pain (great for pushing hard in the gym), and support the release of luteinizing hormone which aids in testosterone production to support gains in lean muscle mass.
Did It Work?
Now, for the meat and potatoes as to why you're probably reading this article. Did MTS Nutrition Machine Fuel actually work? Granted, I only used the product once from the sample pack I was provided but overall, I did notice a difference during my workout. Not only was the flavor (mango strawberry) ridiculously delicious, but it mixed well in a shaker bottle and after a few shakes was completely dissolved.
During my workout, I noticed an enhancement in recovery/endurance where it seemed like I was able to push out a few extra reps in my sets along with having a really good pump. I did sweat quite profusely but obviously, I had no way of actually testing how well Machine Fuel improved my rehydration efforts (I'll simply have to take the company's word for it).
Overall Impressions
Bottom line, I liked this product. Not only was the flavor on point and really good, but I was able to feel a difference during my workout. The pump was intense, I was able to squeeze out some extra reps during the workout, and I can't find anything to complain about when it comes to Machine Fuel.
Sure, there will be some people who argue that it's lacking EAAs (essential amino acids), but to me, for what Machine Fuel is, it works just fine and serves its purpose. If Marc were to ever change up the formula, would it be nice to see EAAs included? Sure. But overall, I enjoyed the product and would recommend it to anyone looking for a new intra-workout or BCAA supplement to try.


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Shake Ups and Discoveries: IFFR 2021
If my experience attending the International Film Festival Rotterdam in person last year is a valid indicator, it is a true discovery festival. Unlike Cannes, where the competition is full of the biggest names in arthouse film, or Toronto and Sundance, where distribution and hype tend to precede screenings, the best premieres are largely unknown going in and propelled by word-of-mouth. The festival, with its navigability and its spacious theater lounges, as well as its courting of younger critics (full disclosure: I was among them, attending last year at the invitation of the festival), is built to facilitate that discussion and discovery. This has long been treated as a double-edged sword: on the one hand, "highlights" haven't been predetermined; on the other, several hundred films, plus installations and talks, means that gems likely remain unearthed. One of the primary duties of the new Festival Director Vanja Kaludjercic, formerly Director of Acquisitions at MUBI, is finding a way to mitigate the pains of the latter without sacrificing the pleasures of the former.
I mention this because every festival is currently undergoing something of an identity crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has largely resulted in the suspension of in-person film festivals. Cannes announced an honorary lineup but never screened a film; Toronto, New York, and Sundance all found success with online screenings with viewing windows of varying lengths, prompting important questions among critics and attendees about traditional limits on access and the often divergent desires of some filmmakers and sellers on the one hand (to premiere a film at a major festival and attain some traditional form of distribution) and audiences on the other (to actually be able to watch exciting contemporary cinema).
For these and other reasons, speculation about the state of the industry is rampant, with every data point serving as tempting but ultimately insufficient grounds for extrapolation. Much easier is to discuss the actual films being screened, and I am happy to report that the compacted IFFR, featuring just 43 features and 22 short and mid-length films, handled these challenges very well (another week of programming is slated for an in-person event the first week of June), even if no one festival report can adequately address the highlights, let alone the whole slate.
The winner of Rotterdam's marquee slate, the Tiger Competition, was P.S. Vinothraj's Pebbles. It begins with a drunken man pulling his son out of school to track down his wife, who has fled his violent tendencies. It wisely forgoes exposition, offering instead an array of glimpses into other lives that provide a social context for its story. While much of its plot, such as its long walks through the desert — father in front, child trailing some ways behind with a rock in his mouth or a piece of glass in his hand to reflect the sun onto his father's bare back — might normally lend themselves to more mythopoetic interpretations, we also see in the absent mother's community women hard at work catching and cooking rats as their husbands, troublesome if not abusive, laze about; we see jugs of water not as symbols of life but as the material to sustain it. In the film's best moment, a pair on a motorbike lightly berates the father for making the son walk miles back to their village (they visited the mother by bus, but the child tore up the bus money after the father blamed him for their misfortune). They take the son back, but their involvement ends there, signifying not a "struggle" between the abusive, patriarchal father and the communal, even matriarchal living that he invades, but their uneasy coexistence.
Where Pebbles is at its best highlighting contrasts, Marta Popivoda's Landscape of Resistance thrives on understated comparisons, namely between the fascism sweeping through Europe today, particularly in Popivoda's native Serbia (and other ex-Yugoslavian countries), and that of World War II. The comparisons are only foregrounded in title cards at the end of the film, but the detailed and harrowing testimony of Sonja, both a partisan who led the resistance against Germany and an Auschwitz survivor, is presented without any archival material. Instead, carefully composed close-ups of buildings, fields, walls, and other mundane things fade from one to another. "Fade" is the key word here: elements, textures, and depth within one shot remain unchanged even as the actual landscape changes, providing a remarkable sense of continuity. The aural history charges these images with historic significance, while their contemporaneity reminds us that the past is never dead, nor even past.
But perhaps the most aesthetically striking film I saw was Renata Litvinova's The North Wind, whose name some may recognize from her acting and screenwriting credits in films by Kira Muratova (to whom The North Wind is dedicated) or from her 2004 film The Goddess. The film, adapted from her own play, the hit of the Moscow Art Theatre's autumn 2018 season, takes place almost entirely on a single set — a Siberian mansion — but Litvinova is always finding new ways to frame the action, and the production design and cinematography is not only extravagant but precise. The film depicts a series of New Year's Eve celebrations, beginning with one where a son of the family matriarch introduces his new wife, a flight attendant, to the family. She soon dies in a plane crash, and her widower marries her sister and the family, in the ensuing years, sees its influence wane. Litvinova has Muratova's humor and storytelling instincts, and the result is equal parts tragic, satirical, and absurd, even as she relies on a phantasmagoric mise-en-scène rather than Muratova's sharp editing.
These and other films (to name just a couple that I couldn't squeeze in, Daïchi Saïto's "earthearthearth" and Taiki Sakpisit's debut feature The Edge of Daybreak) would be worthy of notice in any year, not just one marked by diminished slates and halted productions. If one should be hesitant to draw too many conclusions about either a festival or the state of cinema at a time when it has been subsumed entirely to social, political, and economic pressures (even in countries where this has long been true, COVID-19 poses significant additional challenges), we can evaluate the films themselves with the same confidence and attentiveness as always. The state of both cinema and the world is in flux, but the solace a good film provides remains unchanged.
Top image: Renata Litvinova's The North Wind
A virtual iteration of the 2021 International Film Festival Rotterdam took place between February 1 and 7. An in-theater edition will take place between June 2 and 6.


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April 19,2023 — The impact social media has in helping grow a business is undeniable.
But it is more than gaining followers and converting them into buyers; it is about increasing engagement with your brand and building brand loyalty and retention.
Content on social media sites is different than other marketing content. It is not only shorter but, simultaneously, needs to be informative and engaging. The information you post on your social media sites should be shareable so that your followers are more likely to share it with their friends and family. 45% of users report unfollowing brands because of irrelevant content.
Extracting the most benefit from your social media sites can be a daunting task for small business owners. To help ease the burden, here are eight tactics to steer clear of when you're creating content for your social media platforms.
A Strategy is Essential
Too often, business owners jump in and post whatever comes to their minds. For personal social media platforms, this is perfectly fine to do. However, if you want to post marketing content that is seen and leads to a purchase, you need to think more strategically. From creating valuable content to proper hashtag use, crafting compelling content requires planning.
Knowing your audience is critical. You can draw on the market research in your marketing plan and your buyer's personas, so your posts resonate with your target audience. Your strategy should also factor in what sets you apart from your competition and weave your unique value proposition into your content.
Too Many Self Servings Posts
70% of consumers say they would prefer to learn about a product or service via content instead of ads. Self-promotional pieces should make up no more than 10–20% of your posts. The remainder should be a mix of original content you create and curated content you compile from other relevant sources, like industry information, trends, and other informative pieces that position you as a thought leader. The reduced self-promotional content is because of the purpose behind social media sites – engaging with others and building relationships with followers. While your goal as a business owner is to sell a service or product, organic social media content is not primarily for advertising. Instead, you can use paid advertising tactics in your marketing strategy. If you don't give your audience a reason to follow you, they won't.
By producing unique, relevant, informative, entertaining, and engaging content, you'll not only attract followers but also keep them.
Lack of Interesting Content – Avoid Being too Neutral
We're not advocating for being politically incorrect, but playing it too safe is boring and doesn't generate engagement. Try to find creative ways to add a little attitude and humor to your posts and shake things up. Get people thinking or stir up emotion.
Share Content that is Entertaining
If you're not the funniest person on the planet, don't despair. Since not all posts have to be original or promote your brand, you can bring entertainment in by following comedians and entertainers and sharing some of their funny content.
Posting the Same Content on all Platforms
Customize your posts to the social media platform you're sharing them on. What works on Facebook doesn't necessarily work on Twitter. Another reason is that many people are probably following you on more than one platform. By posting the same information on all platforms, there is a high probability that your followers will get bored and leave.
Hashtags Bring Traffic
Not using hashtags – # – or enough hashtags is one of the biggest mistakes when posting on social media sites. Tweets with 1-2 hashtags have a 55% higher chance of getting retweeted. Using hashtags helps get your content in front of people who specifically search for that term, even if they're not your followers. If your post is valuable and engaging, they might just become followers.
Repurpose Blog Content Into Social Media Posts
You work hard on your blog articles. Why not repurpose content from your blog for your social media platforms? For example, create an infographic based on statistics or data from an article and post the attention-grabbing image on Instagram. Consider using your social media platforms to promote your blog articles or converting your blog content into many social media posts.
Align your Content with your Business Page and Profile
Your strategy should be consistent with your brand. This means your social media profile pages' information should match the content you're sharing with your audience.