A few weeks ago, BostInno had readers nominate their favorite blogs by an individual or company in the Boston area to be a part of their Insider Awards.

We’re excited to announce that out of 327 nominations, we were nominated as one of the Insiders for the Tech & Startups: Company category.  We’re proud to be nominated alongside some other really great Boston companies and we’re going to need your help to win!

So…vote for us in the Tech & Startups: Company category.  Just click the sweet button BostInno gave us to go to the voting page.

Details to vote:

• Voting period: Today – February 15^th
• Category: Tech & Startups: Company

We’d also like to officially endorse David Skok in the VC & Finance category and Dharmesh Shah in the Tech & Startups Individual category. We think their blogs are pretty awesome and actually just included them both in our 10 Must Read Blogs for Entrepreneurs (2012 edition).

Almost three years ago we posted “10 Blogs Entrepreneurs Need to Be Reading” and to this day it has remained the most popular post on the Grasshopper blog. While it’s an excellent list, we feel it’s time for an update. We bring you the 2012 version, 10 Must Read Blogs for Entrepreneurs.

1. For Entrepreneurs

Link: http://www.forentrepreneurs.com/

About:
Run by serial entrepreneur turned VC David Skok, For Entrepreneurs is exactly what the name implies; a place where entrepreneurs can get solid advice from someone who knows what they are talking about.

Awesome Factor:
Looking for an in-depth post that will make you really think? Well, you’ve come to the right place then. Find solid advice on customer acquisition, pricing, marketing and more. Posts are pretty comprehensive so it’s easy to see why they are only added every couple weeks.

2. Forbes Entrepreneurs

Link: http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/

About:
Just about everyone is familiar with Forbes Magazine. It’s been around for almost 100 years and is famous for lists like Forbes 100, Top 30 Under 30, America’s Top Colleges and the list goes on and on.

While the blog is not quite as old as the mag (by about 80 years), it’s done a great job of staying relevant, up to date and staying true to it’s audience.

Awesome Factor:
The entrepreneur section of Forbes covers everything from hiring best practices to tax reform to PR and everything in between. Posts are written by people you’ve heard of and people you’ve never heard of. Plus, it updates ALL the time! I know sifting through tons of articles can be daunting but if you subscribe to it through a RSS reader, it’s a bit easier to handle.

3. Startup Lessons Learned

Link: http://www.startuplessonslearned.com

About:
Run by Eric Ries, the creator of Lean Startup methodology, Startup Lessons Learned offers some invaluable startup advice from a true entrepreneur.

Awesome Factor:
Posts are not updated as frequently as they are on some of these other blogs (to be expected when the author is on a book tour, doing speaking engagements, etc) but when they are, they are must-reads. Case studies, life lessons and practical advice is what you’ll find on here. The nice part; almost all posts provide you with real life examples.

4. Jason Shen: The Art of Ass-Kicking

Link: http://www.jasonshen.com/

About:
Jason Shen is the founder of Ridejoy, a Y-Combinator backed startup and a national champion gymnast. The Art of Ass-Kicking is just that – a blog that talks about how you can conquer your fears and start a business.

Awesome Factor:
Jason’s writing style is fun, personable and more importantly, useful. He uses a ton of visual examples and gives practical advice. One of his latest posts, How to Be Relentlessly Resourceful, offers some great insight on what it really takes to achieve something…actually doing it.

5. Entrepreneur.com

Link: http://www.entrepreneur.com

About:
It’s Entrepreneur Magazine, what more do you need to know?!

Awesome Factor:
While it might seem like an obvious choice, Entrepreneur.com does actually earn its spot on this list. They cover all aspects of entrepreneurship, they stay timely, they offer both fact-based and opinion-based posts and they show real life examples of people who have started businesses on their own.

6. Small Biz Trends

Link: http://smallbiztrends.com/

About:
In 2009, here’s what we had to say about Small Business Trends:

“Written by a panel of small business owners, the site offers tips and advice on everything business related. Need a recommendation on finance software? They probably have it. Want to know how small businesses can use social media and search? They have that too.“

Turns out, all of that still applies and that’s why they made our list almost three years later.

Awesome Factor:
Interested in the latest news? Want business tips, weekly podcasts and in-depth guides? Well you are in luck! Run by entrepreneur Anita Campbell, the site is written by professors, small business owners and authors. Great advice from people who are actually doing it.

7. Mixergy

Link: http://mixergy.com/

About:
Run by one of our favorite people, Andrew Warner, Mixergy has made startup advice fun – Warner interviews smart people with smart advice and posts the videos to his blog.

Awesome Factor:
A variety of people, having real conversations and offering a variety of advice that can actually help you. Sounds pretty great to me! [I should note we are a Mixergy sponsor but only because we believe the site and the people involved are amazing]

8. On Startups

Link: http://onstartups.com/

About:
Run by Dharmesh Shah, founder of Hubspot, OnStartups gives you a nice introspective into the entrepreneurial community through the eyes of one of our own.

Awesome Factor:
If you’ve ever read OnStartups or seen Shah speak, you know he is open and honest and says what he thinks. The same goes for the other authors who guest post on the blog. Check out the list of Best and Worst Startup Stuff in 2011.

9. Steve Blank

Link: http://steveblank.com/

About:
A legend in the tech industry, professor and founder of multiple companies, Steve Blank provides startup advice, personal opinions and more on his blog.

Awesome Factor:
He’s a REALLY smart guy! Seriously. Reading a post from someone who has such a vast understanding of what is happening in the world is refreshing. Not all posts are startup related but more often than not, that’s what you’ll find.

10. This Week in Startups

Link: http://thisweekin.com/thisweekin-startups/

About:
Run by Mahalo CEO, and oft-newsmaker Jason Calcanis, This Week in Startups is actually a web series versus a blog but we thought that was close enough and it deserved to make the list.

Awesome Factor:
CEOs, VPs, investors, authors and more join Calcanis to talk startups on this twice-weekly series. It’s entertaining and more importantly, offers some killer advice.

What are some of your favorite blogs?

It’s Meet the Employees Monday here at Grasshopper.  This week’s employee spotlight is on Casie Gillette.  Casie works on the marketing team as the Online Marketing Manager. If you’ve ever seen us in search results, clicked on a Grasshopper ad or felt stalked by one of our banners, that’s probably her fault.

Let’s get to know Casie…

Favorite food?

This is tough. I love to eat nachos and admittedly order them 50% of the time I’m out. However, if I could only eat one thing the rest of my life, it would definitely be pizza. It never gets old, you can put different toppings on it and if you’re really feeling adventurous, you can stuff the crust with cheese…what other food can you do that with!?!

Chocolate or vanilla?

If we’re talking ice cream, soft-serve vanilla with rainbow sprinkles…if we’re talking cake, still vanilla, in the form of Funfetti.

Morning person or night owl?

I’ve never been a morning person and I don’t think I ever will be. Sleeping in is one of my favorite things to do.

If you could visit anywhere, where would it be?

Too many possibilities! One of the items on my life list is to take my mom to Italy. I’ve been there before but she never has so hopefully I can do that for her someday.

Fun facts – got anything interesting people should know about you?

I don’t know why I tell this story but…I had a cow named after me. My aunt and uncle own a farm and a calf was born the same day I was…so, Casie the cow it was. I think that also led to my steak aversion

Stay tuned for next week’s employee spotlight on Chris Buchino!

If you’ve been on the internet at all over the past few weeks, you’ve probably come in contact with a Sh*t _______ Say video and let’s be honest, they’re pretty funny. There’s just something about people saying it like it is.

Today, we’re launching our own video, Sh*t Entrepreneurs Say.  Check it out and we promise it’s good for a few laughs!

Does this sound like one of your friends? Think this video was based on someone you know? Share it with them and don’t forget to tell us what you think in the comments below!

An effective hiring strategy takes a variety of factors into consideration and it’s up to you to create that strategy. Consider these seven tips for finding top-notch employees.

1. Develop a Detailed Job Description

Before you initiate any interviews, clearly outline your expectations of the new employee and how you see the person contributing to the company’s goals. Besides listing the obvious in the job description, such as main duties, also consider how the employee’s tasks dovetail with the company’s goals and vision.

What exactly do you hope to accomplish by hiring this individual? What sort of work style and outlook should the applicant possess? Develop a list of key skills, experience, training and traits you seek, which you can use to create an ad and explore in more depth during any resulting interviews.

2. Consider Hiring From Within

Hiring a “known quantity” has its advantages. Is there a current employee who possesses the necessary skills to fill the position, or is trainable? Someone already working for the company may have untapped talents. Or maybe your current employees know individuals who would make a good fit. Referrals are the new recruiter.

3. Carefully Review Each Candidate’s Materials

Thoroughly examine each applicant’s resume and supporting documents. Check for required skills and experience, look for any inconsistencies and gaps in employment and don’t be afraid to contact their references.

Also consider the overall appearance and impression the resume gives. Is the document well-written and free of typos? Does it open with a clear objective and highlight relevant experience? You want a prospective employee who eloquently explains his or her accomplishments and has a clear grasp of why those achievements are important.

4. Ask Telling Interview Questions

Besides asking the standard queries such as salary expectations and education and experience, take the opportunity during the interview to ask open-ended questions that encourage the interviewee to reveal as much information as possible.

Potential questions include: “Tell me about a successful project you were involved in.” “Why did you decide to join the industry?” “What are your strengths/weaknesses?” and “Where do you see yourself five years from now?” After the applicant answers each question, encourage the person to reveal even more by remaining silent for several seconds afterward. Many people will fill in the void by offering additional information.

5. Include Several Interviewers

Involving other members of the company in the first or second interview achieves a number of goals. Doing so gives you various perspectives on the potential employee, shows you how well the interviewee relates to other employees and reveals how the person performs in group situations. Including other members of the company is likely to bring out a side of the interviewee that you may not see otherwise.

It’s also important that before the interview, make sure all the interviewers are on the same page. What are you looking for in a candidate? What are you expecting from them? What questions are you going to ask? After the interviewee leaves, take a few minutes to discuss the applicant with the group and record the consensus and any thoughts or considerations.

6. Watch for Red Flags

Warning signs to look for when examining a job applicant include gaps in the resume the person can’t explain, hesitancy or a lack of information from former employers when you check references, inappropriate posts on social media sites, an unwillingness to make eye contact or answer certain questions during the interview and an inability to explain how accomplishments on the resume were achieved. If something feels off, it probably is.

7. Consider Chemistry

While skills and experience are critical, personality fit is equally important. An outstanding resume won’t change the fact that an applicant is not likely to positively contribute to the company culture. If your business requires that employees assist in the company’s social networking efforts, for instance, but the applicant expresses resistance at the notion, it’s probably best to move on to the next candidate. Never underestimate how important culture is to hiring and retaining employees.

Here at Grasshopper, we employ many of these tips and recently began practicing the A Method for hiring. The results have been great and the employees we’ve hired through this even better.

Any tips you’d like to share for hiring high-quality employees?