I was listening to a story on NPR recently about the Mandle. For those of you behind the times, the Mandle is a man candle; a scented candle specifically designed for men. How many times have you heard somebody say they love the smell of an auto shop, gasoline, leather, or even fresh dirt? Well, the Mandle is here to provide you with a means to enjoy many of these smells any time you wish.
As the report listed some of the some of the available scents (chew, stogie, wood chip, and beer), I thought about the ridiculousness of the Mandle. Candles aren’t meant to smell like bacon or spittoon.
In addition, the story tried to compare the Mandle to some true gift icons like the Chia Pet and the Clap On, Clap Off Light. If Ron Popeil was listening, he would probably commit suicide with his Ronco Dial-O-Matic Food Slicer.
Before my outrage could boil over, I thought about when Recruitment Process Outsourcing was introduced in the mid 1990’s. I distinctly remember talking to organizations about the outsourcing of their recruiting function and they treated me as if I had just handed them a campfire smoke scented candle…oops, I mean Mandle.
When RPO was first introduced, it was definitely a “hard sell.” Very few people had RPO on their holiday wish list. However, like the Mandle Company, the early RPO pioneers (i.e. Sue Marks and Anne Nimke) were willing to take risks and go where others were too afraid to go.
Fast forward and now RPO is an accepted part of the outsourcing community. So before I disparage the Mandle any further, I will hold judgment. Maybe the Mandle will be a necessity just like Recruitment Process Outsourcing.
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