Are You Unemployed and Still Riding Horses?

Articles in The Dallas Morning News in the December 2, 2012, edition on page 1D about Hostess Brands got my attention: “Can Hostess brands be resurrected?” and “Past Challenges could haunt Potential Buyers”.   Are there any lessons job seekers can learn from the demise of Hostess?

Karen Robinson-Jacobs writes “Aging infrastructure, balkanized union rules, health food, inefficient management, and crushing debt are the ingredients that formed much of the toxic recipe that pushed the 82 year-old Hostess Brands Inc. into liquidation.”

As a student of strategic management, I found that many organizations, like Hostess, fail because of their inability or reluctance to change their organizations to adjust to a dyanmic business environment. 

It is possible that job seekers, like Hostess, fail to recognize changes in their operating environment and continue to do what they have always done?  I encourage a job seeker to embrace new technologies especially the Internet and research innovations in the industry where he/she has work experience.  I think that you should be willing and eager to learn new skills and seek job opening using such skills.

When I speak with individuals who state that they are not interested in learning all the new skills and think the old ideas are best, I asked them where they tied-up their horses when they came in the building.  Are you unemployed and still riding horses?  

Please share with readers of this blog or email me at glynjordan@gmail.com how you avoided the fate of Hostess Brands.        

Thanks.   Glyn