Lessons from the season...

Fall is probably my favorite time of year.  There's an energy and an excitement in the air as one contemplates the cooler temperatures, the onset of football season, the wonderful holidays.  This in spite of the fact that Fall is a time when nature exhibits a dying phase - leaves changing and falling, animals storing up for the upcoming harshness of winter.  It's a time of shuffling off the old and preparing for the new.

We should take a chapter from mother nature's handbook and apply this same policy of "out with the old, in with the new" in our approach to career searching.  This is a time to shuffle off legacy practices that require great effort yet yield little in terms of results.  Time for a new beginning - time for change!  Here are a few suggestions to put some "spice" into your search efforts:

• GET NETWORKED:  If you don't have a LinkedIn profile - get one!  It's free and it affords you exposure to a tremendous number of recruiters, candidate developers and hiring managers.  As the Director of Talent Acquisition for a large professional services firm, I've been tasked with conducting interviewers with literally hundreds of Talent Acquisition recruiters.  Without exception, they've all pointed to LinkedIn as their top source of on-line candidate resourcing.  Nearly every recruiter I know is using it as it allows them to proactively mine for talent as opposed to sifting through the hundreds pushed through job portals.  But you've got to be listed to get recognized.  So stop reading, go create your FREE LinkedIn profile, then hurry back to finish this article!

• GET MODERN:  Have you considered starting a blog?  Think you're too old, not technologically-savvy?  Think again!  Blogs have become an incredible resource for recruiters to identify talent because most bloggers use their forums for the sharing and exchange of ideas, opinions, suggestions.  It's a great way to see individuals showcasing their knowledge of relevant issues, workplace-related challenges, and creative and innovative solutions.  It provides a lot more color on an individual and their contribution potential than any resume ever will.  Plus it's fluid, it's current, it's today!  Try blogger.com - the site walks you through each step of the process and it's easy and user-friendly.  What's more, you can link your blog to your social/professional network page, you can include the link on your resume, or you can incorporate it into your email signature.  People reviewing any of these will see you as somebody taking charge, effectively current, and positively branded - all great ways to move yourself to the top of the stack!

• IT'S STILL SOMETIMES ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW:  Don't give up on talking to everyone in your circle of personal and professional contacts about who they know and what jobs they're hearing about.  Many of you have probably already exhausted this resource and don't feel this applies to them - think again!  Go back to the people you've asked and this time ask them to provide 1-2 names of individuals they work with that they think might be helpful to aid in your search or to expand your network.  Meet these people and get connected to their contacts, and then their contacts, and then - well, you get the idea.  Your network should be fluid and ever-expanding.  The larger the net, the better chance of catching the prize.  

• STAY POSITIVE, PROFESSIONAL, AND POISED:  It's easy to get frustrated with the same old job search routine.  So mix it up!  If you've relied solely on job board applications, try something different.  Consider attending an in-person networking event, a career fair, a lecture series - all are great places to get noticed and expand your professional circle.  Consider the associations/organizations relevant to your chosen career field.  Visit their member websites and register for a local meeting or event.  Look at opportunities to serve in your community.  Many corporations sponsor their employees at these same events - you never know who you might rub shoulders with on a Breast Cancer Walk, or a Habitat for Humanity project.  It's great exercise, it's serving your fellow-man, and it's a great opportunity to connect with influencers in your community.  Don't fall into the trap of conformity and habit - mix it up!  I believe Einstein was quoted as saying, "Insanity is continuing to do the same thing over and over and expecting different results".  Hey, the guy was a genius...

So enjoy the Fall season.  Roast some marshmallows, enjoy a rousing college or professional ball game, take the kids trick-or-treating.  Just remember that along with these time-honored traditions, there's always room for a little newness and novelty - a chance to stretch your comfort barriers and try something new and fresh in your search.  May you find and enjoy the successes that come from keeping yourself in the driver's seat in your career exploration efforts!

Until next time...

Observations from the other side...

I have a recommendation for many of my corporate recruiting colleagues.  Carve out a weekend and pretend you're unemployed.  Create a fictitious resume and apply to a position in your own organization along with several similar positions at your competition.  You'll be embarrassed by the results.


I believe recruiters and recruiting managers have become completely out-of-touch with what I consider a critical element in the recruiting program for any good company - the candidate experience.  What's more, I'm confident that most executives would have a proverbial cow if they knew how poorly most of their candidates are being treated these days because of poor technology and poorer processes.


Having been an applicant multiple times in the past year, I'm fascinated with how bad the situation has become.  After submitting more than 80 applications for recruiting positions, less than 20% of the companies provided any form of response acknowledging receipt of my application.  What's more, on the 18 occasions where I used professional networking to make direct contact with a hiring manager at many of the companies, I received a timely follow-up only 3 times!  And that was after dropping the name of a mutual colleague!


While I recognize that the job market is in an unprecedented state - dramatic unemployment levels, hiring freezes,  a talent ocean vs. merely a talent pool - it doesn't mean employers should throw out basic values of common courtesy and follow-up.  Most applicant tracking systems can be tailored to provide automated responses to candidates and can be further tailored to provided periodic updates or "outreaches of information" to keep applicants lukewarm.  Companies should institute a prioritization of follow-up measures to make sure candidates are being contacted and processed - starting with employee referrals, then professional/social networking contacts, and ultimately generic job seekers.  However, everyone should be touched!  Most recruiters have observed that the next diamond for an organization can come from any of these sources and therefore all are important.


I know what it's like to be inundated with requisitions and a multitude of candidates.  I also know how difficult it can be to respond to everyone - either directly or through electronic medium.  But it's critical in supporting the brand initiatives of your organization, shaping and defining the culture of your company in the hearts and minds of future employees, and differentiating yourselves and the companies you represent as best-in-class.  It's what separates true recruiters from paper-pushers and it's the difference between an average recruiting program and an extraordinary one.


And rest assured - times they are a changing.  Hiring needs are on the rise again and many of the candidates you've ignored or offended will be in extremely high demand.  The measures and steps you put in place now to be responsive, to follow-up with everyone, and to close the loop appropriately, will go a very long way when these same candidates have to pick and choose amongst the companies that weren't interested a year ago but now have critical needs.  The companies that will have first pick of the top candidates in the marketplace will be those that did this the right way and established positive relationships of trust with everyone that hit their applicant radar screen.


So give it a try.  Quit your job this Friday and spend the weekend like Joe Q. Applicant.  I think the experience will give you some much needed perspective!


RR

Have you considered social networking in your job search?

There’s no mistaking that social media is here to stay.  Just about everyone has experience or exposure to it, either through their own activities, their children's involvement, or a colleague or friend.  Assumedly, you've heard of at least several facets of Social Media outlets (this includes both social and professional networking) like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Spoke.  While historically considered merely a tool for social and professional networking, employers and candidates are now finding additional utility from these programs to create recruitment networking value.  In addition, other internet-based outlets are becoming increasingly popular as networking and recruitment tools.  These include: blogs, organization and association discussion forms,  and "behind-the-scenes" programs offering customized utility for social networking sites such as Tweetjobs.net, and more.

Not all employers get it…yet!

Don’t make the false assumption that you're late to the game in taking advantage of these initiatives.  Cultural shifts in social media are just beginning to be surveyed, quantified, and analyzed.  Consider the following observations from Spherion's Emerging Workforce Study:

• Employees are driving the evolution of social media in job searching - not employers
• They're placing greater importance on the job search experience (demand greater transparency of company's culture through blogs, mini-blogs, chat rooms, etc.; they feel corporations need to create and control their on-line reputation and brand - or the candidates will)
• Currently only about 24% of employers have a social networking strategy; of the 24%, only 33% feel it's currently successful and only 22% use social media to recruit new talent
• Usage breaks down as follows (LinkedIn participation - 23%; Corporate Blog - 16%; Company Facebook profile - 14%; Viral Video marketing/recruitment - 7%; Corporate MySpace profile - 6%; Second Life presence - 1%; Other - 16%)

That being said, external recruiters (agencies, RPO firms, talent consultants, etc.) ARE recognizing the enormous value social media plays to identify talent and develop candidate profiles which they can then link to key positions at their clients.  They are well ahead of most employers in these techniques which is how they hope to maintain a competitive edge over corporate recruiting functions in finding candidates otherwise impossible to find using more traditional methods (it's how they maintain their value and continue to drive fees).  To that end, knowing how these agents are using social media will enable you to be in the right places and utilize these tools appropriately and to your advantage to "stay in the driver's seat" in your career search.  Ready to get started?  Let's have some fun...

Spread your Virtual Value

Most agents start their identification of potential job-seekers using the professional networking sites (LinkedIn, Spoke, Xing, etc.).  You should visit these sites and determine which (or possibly all) you'd like to participate in.  Don't settle for simply inputting your basic data - be as comprehensive as possible.  Remember, these agents are often using key-word searches to identify people for specific jobs so utilize key words and concepts in describing your professional experience to make sure you're turning up in the right search results.  Also, search these sites for "added functionality" - discussion forms, groups, etc.  Some companies (and a large number of agents) are posting jobs in these areas that you won't find anywhere else.  They're actually limiting their searches to individuals who know how to use these sites so if you're not in the space, you've already lost.  It's also important that you participate in discussions (or mini-blogs) on these sites as it will showcase your expertise, opinions, ideas, and views of the world which these same individuals are using to build a profile on your set of experiences.  If you're commenting on best-practices, recommendations, this becomes in essence your "social resume" and helps potential employers see how you demonstrate your expertise in the virtual world and if you're a "knowledge-sharer" or "knowledge-blocker", collaborative and consultative or just not participating, etc.

Next, these agents will review the social networking sites (Ziggs, Spoke, Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger) which include a whole host of blogs and forums.  These are usually visited to follow-up on leads already identified through other means (the professional networks above, name generation, etc.).  As an example, someone conducting a search for a Flexible Scientist might stumble upon an article through GoogleSearch describing "flexible packaging in the food industry".  From there, they'll take the author's name and plug it into Blogger to research this person along with the other individuals commenting on this article (likely also Flexible Scientists) in a forum.  The agent will compile the names and contact information of these individuals and then contact them directly through that social networking site.  Alternatively, someone who doesn't respond to an InMail through LinkedIn (the email channel within LinkedIn) can still be contacted by visiting their Facebook page and identifying alternative contact information (phone number, email address, etc.)  Participating in these blogs and discussion groups can increase your visibility and even uncover additional job opportunities as more companies get on the band wagon and implement these techniques.  Want to find some blogs that make sense for you??  Go to Google and in the search bar type inurl:blogspot and follow that with keywords relevant to your professional area (e.g., HR, Film Production, etc.).  Use the results to visit some blogs and determine which might be right for you.

Additionally, consider using your social media page (example: Facebook) to capture some of your professional accomplishments and overall cultural identity.  Many people upload a video introduction through YouTube and then place it on their Facebook page or upload PowerPoint documents and other materials showcasing their intellectual capital.  They also participate in Facebook groups to increase exposure, network both socially and professionally, and survey potential employers.  The resources on these sites are strong and only grow stronger.

Research your Targets

In much the same way that job seekers are utilizing social media, employers are starting to come around as well.  Many companies are developing Facebook Workplace Networks much like a corporate intranet site (these are usually limited to individuals with a company-sponsored email address) along with public Facebook Corporate Pages where they utilize "Discussion Boards" and "The Wall".  The discussion boards are where they attract members of the targeted community by showcasing the company's attractive features, challenging positions, and company news.  The Wall is a venue to say hello to the community and begin establishing these connections.  They also offer job advice about the targeted region.  These are excellent sources of information on the culture, the job opportunities, and the vision and mission of these organizations.  Many other employers are utilizing three of the four types of Networks within Facebook (Regional, Workplaces, Colleges - the fourth is High Schools) to post jobs and list on-line job fairs, etc.

Twitter, though not as comprehensive, is developing more and more resources to connect employers and employees.  You'll find an increasing number of companies dropping "tweets" regarding specific job opportunities with attached URL links to additional requisition data and application procedures.  The key is being connected to these target companies through Twitter and setting alerts to receive job-related information.  An alternative is using a site solution such as Tweetjobs.net to minimize the busy work.

Have some fun!

This is probably the most important advice I can give.  There's an entire universe growing and evolving on-line with limitless touch-points that is literally connecting millions of people through social, professional, and cultural outlets.  Consider the following:

• Facebook currently has 300 million active users; their fastest growing demographic are people over the age of 35; every day, 30 million people become fans of new pages; 65 million users are connecting to Facebook through mobile devices; currently 70% of active Facebook users reside outside the US (it's not just a domestic job tool)
• the number of text messages sent and received daily exceeds the total global population
• To reach a target market of 50 million people, it took radio 38 years; TV took 13 years; the internet 4 years; iPod 3 years; Facebook took less than 2 years and then doubled that number less than 6 months later
• There were approximately 133 million blogs at the end of 2008 (tracked by Technorati)
• American internet users watch 12.7 billion on-line videos each month
• 120,000 marriages occur annually from on-line dating (imagine how many jobs are filled through on-line services??)

I hope this information is helpful as you consider Social Media.  As with many things pertaining to our wireless world, the information is constantly changing and refreshing and much of what was reported here will likely be old news in several short months.  The beauty of the on-line environment is the power of information and knowledge-sharing taking place in these social networks so take comfort.  As you experiment and build your network,  your new on-line friends will delight in keeping you updated on the latest and greatest in functionality and best-practices.

Happy Hunting!!!

Getting back to love in the workplace...

Some free advice from someone with experience - do what you love!  For fifteen years, I've been blessed and privileged to work as a recruiter where I feel tremendous passion - for the work, for my colleagues, and for the candidates I meet, interview and assess, and guide in their career searches.  The idea of working long hours, of extended travel assignments, of crazy deadlines - none of these things phased me because I was having so much fun with what I was doing.  

Then last year, when Stanford Financial Group was put out of business, I was forced to seek new employment in an impossible job market.  It seemed like nobody was hiring which meant recruiting opportunities were scarce if not non-existent.  I was fortunate to have found an opportunity in another area of recruitment.  I "experimented" in the world of outsourcing - and was disappointed to discover it was radically different from the recruiting to which I had grown accustomed.  Work no longer seemed fun - it seemed like, well, work.  Days were longer, hours dragged on, weekends became bastions of refuge and real life-savers.

I'm back in the job market again.  I'm thrilled because I have a pretty clear picture of what I need to be doing professionally and the type of organization that's going to bring out my passion and drive.  As a recruiting professional, I can easily say this is more than half the battle in a career search.  Being passionate at work leads to greater performance, stronger contributions, and heartier relationships.  These in turn trigger promotional opportunities, chances to stretch and expand professionally, and an inner calm and peace hard to define or valuate.

So take the opportunity to assess and determine your "happiness" level with what you do.  Do you value your own contribution?  Do you come to work eager and leave the office fulfilled?  Do the people around you respect you, your opinions, and your output?  How excited are you to know everything about your field?  Can you say you're passionate about your job?   Make sure the answers to these questions are an affirmation that you're in the right place doing the right thing for you!

Happy hunting!