In the past few weeks, the famous 1995 Newsweek article by Clifford Stoll entitled, "The Internet? Bah!" has again made an electronic loop around the Internet. In this popular article, Stoll discussed all the reasons why the Internet would FAIL to reach its overhyped potential. Many of the key examples used in the article have not only proven to be feasible online, but are thriving examples of the utility of the Internet including: e-commerce, telecommuting, and getting books & newspapers online. It is very easy to look back on this article and be dismissive of the author's viewpoints. However, I have a great deal of respect for Stoll taking a look at what he considered the essential elements of success for the Internet. Based on the progression from invention of the web to the present (1995), Stoll determined that the essential obstacles would never be overcome. As such, he logically concluded that the Internet would FAIL.  

In the early phases of the Internet, the infrastructure was being established....remember dial-up. During this time, entrepreneurs found many ways to leverage this new connectivity to improve our lives. In the employment industry, Jeff Taylor (Monster.com), Rob McGovern (CareerBuilder.com), and Dimitri Boylan (Hotjobs.com) recognized an opportunity to move job classifieds online.  Since that time, little has changed about the way companies and candidates recruit online. 

The next phase of web maturity is being called the Social Web. Companies like YouTube, Digg, Facebook, and Twitter are giving us the first glimpses into the social interaction inherent in this evolution of the web.  Once again entrepreneurs are recognizing opportunities to leverage this new social dynamic.  One of the most discussed new opportunities is the application of social media tools and functionality to recruiting, appropriately called Social Recruiting.  

Yet, there are many who believe that Social Recruiting is destined to FAIL.   Among the concerns are: unproven utility, too much work, less intimacy, culture shock, generational divide, privacy issues, legal liability, and loss of message control.  At this time, no one has figured out a solution to satisfy all parties involved.  However, to assume that solutions won't be found to these admittedly challenging issues is naive.  In fact, I would argue that the global Internet community is also desperately seeking solutions to these complex issues.  Despite these challenges, I think that the benefits of Social Recruiting for both companies and candidates are too great to ignore.  

For experienced professionals, LinkedIn has shown that candidates and companies can learn a great deal about each other through the use of data-rich online profiles. Instead of waiting for an employment opening, candidates and companies can proactively pursue each other based on their online research. Facebook and Twitter have shown that users value connecting with a network of friends, colleagues, and industry professionals.  Sharing links, viewing photos, and chatting instantly, the natural desire for humans to socially interact is being realized online.  Google Analytics has helped us to understand the value of measuring what matters, and optimizing to improve our results.  From targeted job invitations based on mutual company/candidate interest to company recommendations from trusted peers on social networks to measuring engagement and the return on investment using analytics, the current level of technology development suggests that the future of Social Recruiting is bright.  Still think Social Recruiting is destined to FAIL....why? 

-Omowale Casselle

__________________________________

About the Author: Omowale Casselle is the co-founder and CEO of mySenSay, a social recruiting community that connects college students and corporations.

Some of you have seen the movie Up in the Air. For those who haven't, George Clooney plays a corporate downsizing expert who believes that firing someone over the Internet is sort of like, well, breaking up via text message. 

It's hard to argue with his logic, especially for those of us who are most attracted to the human aspects of our Human Resources jobs. Now don’t get me wrong, I love The Jetsons just like the next 80s schoolgirl and look forward to videophones, robots and moving sidewalks. But there are some things that technology can't do. Right? Not so fast.

I recently came across two companies that are using video technology to revolutionize the HR industry in a positive way. HireVue allows companies to record one-way and two-way video interviews in a controlled environment. So before you invest time and money in on-site interviews, you can share video interviews with colleagues to screen for personality and culture fit. The result is better hires, quicker time-to-fill and lower cost. BriteTab offers similar advantages for candidates through personalized online resumes that support both video and metrics. For a free trial with BriteTab, simply enter “Tara” as your coupon code now through April 30, 2010. (Hey mom, I’m a coupon code!)

Neither company is trying to replace the face-to-face interview. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Both companies are bringing personal interaction to earlier stages of the hiring process with favorable impact on candidate selection, employee workloads and travel budgets. 

And if that's true, if video is a critical component of the future workplace, then I'm definitely not as comfortable in front of the camera as I should be. I changed my major in college--from Broadcast Journalism to Television, Radio and Film Writing--to avoid the camera. I use Skype to communicate with family in other states and shoot Flip videos of my kids horsing around, but I'm always the one behind the camera … by design. And I’m not alone. 

Amber Naslund, Director of Community for Radian 6--whom I find to be smart, outgoing and super likable--recently added this comment to her Twitter stream:

I love Amber’s attitude and plan to adopt it as my own. It's easy to condemn technology and let our fears ground us in the status quo. What is not so easy is to change, to take calculated risks and embrace innovation.

Now I won't give away the ending to "Up In The Air" but I will say that George Clooney didn't get nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Actor category by being the same person at the end as he was in the beginning. No, he doesn’t suddenly condone firing via video (and neither do I) but he does evolve and we should too. 

This will be my first time at both events and I'd love to meet up with community members (and future community members) and talk about our community and what we are doing right and what could be improved.

I know some of the attendees already but I have yet to meet many more. I am pretty easy to recognize from my picture and I'll be reaching out to everyone I can but if you catch me, make sure to say hello.

We know you'll enjoy your time in San Diego at either event. Let me or any of the ERE staff know how we can help you get the most out of the conference!

We strongly advise you not to have two Facebook profiles. When someone searches for you by name they will have no way of knowing which profile of yours to connect with, even if you name them “work” and “personal” because your contact will just choose one and you have no control over which you choose. It also creates bland blurr and confusion. If you are worried about people hijacking your wall with their spam, you can prevent your connections from posting things to YOUR wall. You can select your facebook privacy settings here. The sections you control include

• Profile Information: specify down to the individual person level who sees which kinds of your data (select "Customize" in each menu)
• Limit viewability of "Photos Tagged of You" (also under Profile tab): select "Customize" in menu (see screenshot at right)
• Search: Determine who can find you when searching. We recommend you set to "Search Visibility: Everyone" and select "create a public search listing" checkbox for maximum visibility
• Newsfeed & your Wall: Limit who sees your posts and comments, and whether you appear in social ads. When you post somethign you can even post it to just a group for example so its a great idea to set up lists of friends and give them each separate levels of access (see last bullet bellow). Also realize your Facebook applications may publish automatically unless you edit that here.
• You can also control the relative flow of content into your pages from certain friends o Use Notifications tab to be email-alerted for certain kinds of actions.
• Finally, you can use the Friends tab to set categories of friends and control the flow of information as well. E.g. create a “Colleagues” list whose members can see your basic data but not your personal photos or wall posts, etc. You could for example make it so when you post something it goes only to "Colleagues" if its a business update but your "Buddies" get to see your vacation photos, etc. I have 11 groups ranging from my high-school friends to fellow alumni of my alma matter, my Peace Corps crew, family members, and of course the VIPs I follow online.

SixDegreesfromDave was renown for passing it forward with it's Top Ten Linkedin Features. At one point, nearly 1,000 invites per person featured were sent in a single 24 hour period! In today's ever changing social media world, we make changes to reflect that evolution with emerging technologies. As of today we now start the ever more viral means of sharing best practices with a series of TOP TEN TWITTER for the staffing industry. We will feature people I know first hand, respect, and genuinely believe are making a difference in our industry as practitioners, innovators and Thought Leaders. This is by NO means a random listing series. Our listings are always carefully reviewed and vetted by prior contributions. We begin our first in a series featuring the Sourcing Apprentice program made famous by Shally Steckerl's Mentor Program.

So today, Talent Oyster - North America's first job board in 11 languages simultaneously - reported the results of their first 'diversity recruiting' survey.

The bad news?  44% said that their biggest challenge in diversity recruiting is that they simply don't know where to look.  If they needed, say, 10 Arabic-speaking mining engineers for a project in northern Alberta that's starting in 3 weeks, they wouldn't know how to target and reach the Arabic-speaking community - at least not at short notice.

The good news?  71% of Canadian recruiting/HR professionals said their organizations would be increasing diversity hiring initiatives in 2010.  More than 40% said that diversity recruiting/hiring was one of their organization's top priorities for this year.

The really good news?  Statistics Canada predicts that by 2031, at least one in four Canadians will have been born outside Canada - the term 'visible minority' may become obsolete in the new mainstream.  

I think this is great:  Maybe, 5 or 10 or 20 years from now, the term 'diversity candidates' will also be obsolete, and we can just talk about 'candidates', regardless of their country of origin, language, or faith.

From OnlineRecruitingNews.com

A recurrent theme in blog posts and Tweets is that job boards are dying. Usually this is coupled with a prediction that they’ll be replaced by social media or Google. The popularity of this subject, in turn, spawns two questions:

1. Why is this such a popular topic?
2. Are job boards really dying?

Why is this such a popular topic?

The assertion that job boards are dying is not a new one. For example, Simon Meth considered the subject in late 2006 (but decided the reports of their death were premature). More recently, Tom Davenport talked about the nature of large, successful companies like Monster to lose touch with their market.

Why is this such an evergreen subject? Here are several potential reasons:

1. Job boards cost money: Recruiters and HR staff are always short of funding – and job boards have grown more expensive over the years.
2. Job boards haven’t changed: Look at a job site from 1995, and compare it to current sites. In most cases, you won’t see significant differences in functionality or services. Most job boards make their living selling job postings and resume access – just like they did 15 years ago.
3. Where’s the ROI?: Job boards haven’t consistently shown HR what their return on investment is – and because of that lack of data, HR assumes the numbers are poor.
4. The big boards dominate the discussion: When a writer complains about job board, he or she almost always means Monster, CareerBuilder, or HotJobs. Never mind about the other 100,000 sites out there – the venom is reserved for the
   big sites.

Depending on the writer’s experience and bias, any of these four can provide fodder for an article – and the topic always generates interest, because almost everyone (employer and job seeker alike) has had some type of experience with a job board. Strong feelings, legitimate gripes, and a big audience means that this topic will pop up, over and over.

Are job boards really dying?

But are job boards really dying? And if so, when will they be gone? What will replace them?

If job boards are dying, their share of the recruitment market should be shrinking. However, according to the latest Sources of Hire report from CareerXroads, job boards have increased their percentage over the past five years, to 13.2% in 2009. (The leading source, by the way, continues to be referrals, at 26.7%).

Another way to look at the industry’s health is in the numbers of job boards. Are there more, or fewer, than five years ago? Again, numbers have grown, to an estimated 100,000 job sites at present. As with any business sector, some of these will fail – but enough remain, and enough new
ones are launched each year, to make the job board industry an expanding one.

It is true that the era of rapid financial growth appears over, simply because the recruitment world has completed the switch from print-based methods to online methods. Future growth has to come at the expense of other recruitment sources, such as referrals or company career sites.

In fact, what seems most likely is that job boards will continue to evolve, incorporating aspects of social media to improve recruitment results, improving reporting, and integrating their offerings more deeply into company career sites. Job sites that fail to evolve will eventually fail to survive – so you could accurately argue that those sites will ‘die’. But the remaining 100,000 or so will continue to fill their vital role in the overall recruitment cycle.

Most employees spend their days trying to keep up with the information that's thrown at them. They check e-mail on vacation to avoid returning to an overflowing inbox, scan several blogs and maybe even read a newspaper. And then there are the meetings, hallway discussions and every other interaction.

It's no secret that employees are drowning in information and that the cause stretches beyond the usual suspects.

If you merely take control of your inbox, you won't solve the information overload problem. Instead, you need to fundamentally change how you do your job. For corporate recruiters, accustomed to decades of habit shaped by our profession (and its tendency toward the status quo), this may prove difficult, but the benefits of progress will undoubtedly be substantial.

For corporate recruiters, the most vexing source of information overload is likely to come from an area foreign to other professions: resume volume. Now that candidates can find you through job boards, corporate websites and social media channels, the inbound information associated with every open req has expanded substantially and will continue to do so exponentially for the foreseeable future.

So, how do you sift through this resume overload to find the talent pools that matter most to you?

KGTiger's STREAM service protects you from information overload. Our team sifts through the mountains of resumes submitted for every open position, ensuring that you swim in a rich, deep talent pool, rather than drown in a large one.

Work with KGTiger, and you can recapture the 25 percent of your workday that is typically lost to information overload - that's an ROI you'll notice!

Green jobs are growing substantially according to several recent studies. Now a new job search engine called Green Job Spider, aims to aggregate those jobs as the 'Google for green jobs'. With more than 50 green job boards currently scattered across the web, job seekers are having a hard time finding and applying to this fast growing job market. Green Job Spider will enable them to search for these jobs under one interface. The site will also help green candidates learn about the types of green jobs and where they are through its blog and podcast.

The job search engine will be one of the first of its kind to focus exclusively on a specific niche. To date, most of these job search sites focus on all types of jobs nationwide but Green Job Spider will offer a more targeted experience for those who want a green job. Its crawler will index for jobs from solar to wind to biofuels. Job listings will be indexed nightly and all sources of green jobs will be hand selected to ensure quality.

“The time is right for a service of this kind” says Chris Russell, the site’s founder. “Green jobs are growing and the current method of finding them is too fragmented”. Russell is a ten year veteran of the online job search space. His company, AllCountyJobs.com LLC, is a well established player in the niche job board business.

Green Job Spider will also target green employers and recruiting firms who have jobs online. Listings can be indexed through an XML feed or spidered via web page. Pricing will consist of a flat monthly subscription fee with unlimited clicks. At launch it currently indexes about a dozen green job sources. Efforts are underway to index the remaining green job boards.

The site is powered by job board software provider, JobMount.

Currently in BETA the site is located at http://www.greenjobspider.com/ Green Job Spider is a division of AllCountyJobs.com LLC.

I've been busy lately.  As a result, the paying gig (workin' for the man) takes top priority.  But that doesn't mean that I still don't get to do some cool things from time to time.  Recently in fact, I was asked to present on a Webinar and talk about Converting Leads to Hires via Social Media.  HCI hosted the event with TMP Worldside sponsoring.  Was I excited about it?  Yeah - after putting metrics in place to track every move the teams at my employer make around Social Recruiting for the last year, I was not only excited... I was ready with some data to share.

For the record, I’m a fan of wisdom and experience.  So whenever I can pull out an old dusty guy’s quote you know I’m going to. I enjoyed kicking off the webinar with was Johann Wolfgang VonGoeth's.  (No, not the guy that's famous for his culinary skills and rockin' eats!) Johann was the German dude that founded the whole World Literature thing.  C'mon kids.... reach way back to your early college classes and realize he's the guy to thank.  He said:

"It is not enough to take steps which may some day lead to a goal; each step must be itself a goal and a step likewise."

The bottom line and tie in?  I showed how Mobile Marketing for recruitment is having rockin' results and nailing a Cost Per App that's under $13.  I outlined how the teams at my employer can expect to wrap up the year with over 5,000 applications from Twitter efforts after spending less than $200. 

I'd encourage you to check out the webinar.  You can find the recorded session link over on my Events page.  It's less than an hour and I think I'm comfortable guaranteeing that it's not just a dry review of numbers and stats.  A few things to remember going in, though...

Recruiting teams and leadership need to remember that we must measure our social networking and social recruiting efforts as closely as possible (sometimes hard, but not impossible!) before we can jump up and down and say we're making a difference.  It's not enough to have a single person say that they heard about our jobs or company via a social channel like Twitter or on Facebook.  We've got to be able to track and prove anything that will result in what I like to call, "spending decisions."

Deciding what we really want to measure from a staffing/recruiting perspective can be tough, though.  It's important to decide 'what' we want to track before heading in full-speed and trying to figure out 'how'.  Truth be told I think that the 'how' is almost easier once you get through the philisophical debate around what social recruiting and employment brand really means.

I won't spoil the webinar but I'll make a few posts about the content and blow out a few things that were discussed.  But I'm hoping that the biggest takeaways for anyone that is able to catch it or was able to attend are these simple trains of thought...

1. You can't improve anything if you don't measure it.
2. There is no social recruiting solution today.  Only tools.

Grab the webinar and let me know what you think.  After it's run it's course over at HCI, I'll post the presentation on RecruiterGuy.net to share.

​Originally posted at RecruiterGuy.net 3/11/10.

Next week is the ERE Expo in San Diego and it's now in its 10th year.

Wow. In recruiting-life years that's like -- well -- 100. Two economic meltdowns later and the ERE plans on having one of its biggest events to date.

I went to the first ERE Expo in March of 2001 and wandered aimlessly and invisible from session to session. Even during the WetFeet harbor cruise I felt awkward, as if I were the geek lead in a John Hughes film.

Kevin Plantan, VP of Sales for ERE Media, and I were recently talking about just that experience because he had just joined CEO David Manaster's team six months prior to that and was new to the space as well.

Invisible and wet behind the ears (as the saying goes) in the HR/recruiting marketplace. When I first entered the space over a decade ago, a year before the first ERE Expo, I went to work as a sourcing account manager for a company called Tapestry.net prior to taking over the marketing communications function and internal sales team.

In all my previous incarnations, including my current one as President of HRmarketer.com, I’ve hired dozens and dozens of employees – from higher education to high-tech to the HR marketplace, marketing and PR. I’ve played recruiter, hiring manager and human resources, although I’ve never officially held the title of any with the exception of sourcer at Tapesty.net.

Which is why I'm excited to return to the ERE Expo nine years later -- to continue to learn from the best in the business.

Just check out the agenda. It's a plethora of mad road driving recruitment and hip hiring thought leadership. Illuminate. (It's a Kerouac thing with me.)

Amazing. I can't wait for the sessions, the networking, the expo hall (of course), the ERE Foundation's charity poker tournament to support the children affected by the earthquake in Haiti...

Lookout world. We're all growed up.

Post by Kevin W. Grossman (join me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn - and now join HRmarketer on Twitter!)

The recent economic climate has made a significant impact on the market; for both companies and employees. Always keep in mind that a good relationship with a solid agency will pay great dividends.

Not sure? When’s the best time to develop a ‘relationship’ with your attorney? Dunno, but I’ll tell you when it’s NOT the best time: 3am, in jail, asking to borrow the yellow pages to make a phone call... 

Are you pickin’ up what I’m puttin’ down? Great! Heed some of these basic, yet often overlooked items when working with a Recruiter during your next career transition.

Need to preface by suggesting the best approach is a hybrid, of sorts. Stay passively aware of potential opportunities in the market with a professional ‘talent scout’ so you can evaluate and make your decisions proactively. Not out of fear or necessity.  The best and brightest keep an eye open for opportunities that could potentially be better than their current situation… Read: Proactive vs Reactive

Is this disloyal? Heck no. It’s REALISTIC! 

In today’s market uncertainty; Mergers & Acquisitions, buyouts, bankruptcy’s etc, don’t be surprised if you wind up in the same position…  Don’t stick your head in the sand and pretend it isn’t happening… 

‘Top 5 Golden Rules’ when working with a Recruiter (as a Job Seeker):

1) Be mindful & respectful of their time. 
1a) Recognize they aren’t YOUR agent, their Free of Charge (to you), but their time is usually worth a minimum of $100 an hour. So DON'T call every 2 days to follow up. In fact, if you don’t have a real good reason, don’t bother calling at all.
If you absolutely must do so, email is usually preferred. Think that’s a little bit harsh? It's not. I'm keeping it real here...  

Did You Know that a 200:1 ratio of incoming Candidates to Placements is not unusual at all. This is not a typo. TWO HUNDRED (or more) to ONE.

Moreover, the last thing you need right now is someone commiserating with you on how bad it is out there ~ you need someone to help you land a suitable position. We know it's difficult, it's what we do EVERY DAY. 

Often recently unemployed candidates fall into several categories by default; make sure that ‘bitter and unhappy’ isn't one of them. You're not a victim, so stop acting like it.

2) Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you will. Trust me, our tolerance for ignorance and/or arrogance is really slim. Capiche? If not, best have a highly plausible explanation.

Particularly important regarding scheduled interviews. Most don’t realize the amount of time, energy, logistical concerns and resources that go into this process.

3) Being anything less than forthcoming with information. This doesn’t mean give up all info blindly… If you are uncomfortable with a request, just ask why that’s important or relevant at this time and listen.

This includes scenarios utilizing ‘cash register’ honesty, ie, where someone gives you change, but doesn’t tell you how they got it. Sneaky at best… Trust, but verify. Not unlike other industries, some have gained reputation for shady ethics. So, you’re right to be cautious. Just don’t sabotage a potential relationship which could be collectively beneficial.

4) Being ambiguous or disingenuous with your capabilities. They’ll find out soon enough. 

Finally, and I mean this with all best intentions, PEOPLE GET HIRED FOR WHAT THEY CAN DO BUT FIRED FOR WHO THEY ARE. Just because you’re walk on water for requirements doesn't mean you’re getting hired – with the amount of investment a company is looking at investing in exchange for our services, your training, relocation, benefits, etc., believe you me, they are listening for our feedback on your soft skills (or lack of).

5) BE NICE Show a little appreciation for the effort. It’s wise and in your best interest to be courteous and respectful. Especially if you don’t get an interview or land that job.  Guess what? We BOTH get paid the same…ZERO. In fact, if you want to turn empathy into apathy, or worse, just give a little attitude to us on the back end of the process. Instead, ask questions & learn from the process.

That’s one of the Dalai Lama ’Lessons for Life’: ‘When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.” This applies in spades here… Because anyone that has been doing this for more than a few years will tell you, we’re phone cops.

In case you didn't notice the picture above, decided to go ahead and insert it again for clarification!  :) 

Exactly what does this mean?  Simple. This means we can hear, see and detect bull$hit from a mile away… So, mean what you say and say what you mean. We’re here to help, but don’t take us for granted.

This isn’t the unemployment office or your human resource department, and we are not government employees. (at least at writing) 

Great Recruiting is Expensive and Priceless. 
But Poor Recruiting can cost you a FORTUNE!

The Engineering & Automation Solutions Team (EASTeam) is comprised of a multinational workforce focused primarily on recruitment of technical Engineering professionals located within the Industrial Automation, Process Instrumentation and Motion Control Industry. 

EASTeam is led by Kirk Abraham, an award winning executive recruiter, and partner with an Indianapolis based franchise of the MRI Network. More @ Blog.EngineeringSolutionsTeam.com 

As our technologically-advanced recruiting world continues to progress, top talent is more easily accessible than ever before. With the click of a button you can find your next marketing specialist or c-level advisor. Well, that is, if you know where to look.

In recent news, social media sites, in particular social networking sites have seen extraordinary surges in usage levels. According to CNNmoney, usage on social networking sites is up by 82% worldwide from last year, with Facebook topping the charts. These same users are also accessing the sites from mobile phones (most likely, a direct correlation with the increase in Smartphone sales). ComScore.com reported a 31% increase in mobile phone usage for social networking sites. And, in a related study, 36% of social media mobile users are ages 35-54 and 34% are ages 25-34. Ok, ok, just a bunch of numbers. What does it all mean?

Well, at least it means good news for recruiters. These social networking sites permit direct access to millions of high caliber candidates. It's a gigantic talent pool for recruiters to source from. And, don't let those numbers intimidate you. Sourcing from that pool is as easy as 1-2-3 with today's enhanced searching capabilities.

Now, it's all a matter of using the right media to source the right talent. Many organizations are finding social networking sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc) to be some of their strongest tools in acquiring recommended talent. Why is that? To explain, let's talk about employee referrals first. Historically, and even more so in recent years, employee referral programs often produce highly productive and loyal workers more so than other traditional recruiting methods. According to HR World, "Candidates referred by employees also tend to be of higher quality because the referring employee usually screens his or her referrals closely." Companies can capitalize on the knowledge an employee can give on a referral, in order to understand better what the potential recruit has to offer.

So, think about it. What are these social networking sites really, but large employee referral programs. Let's take LinkedIn, for example. This site allows users to recommend other users in their network. Organizations can then utilize these recommendations to quickly source candidates. After a candidate is sourced and inserted into the application and interview process, those online recommendations provide a strong foundation, almost as powerful as an in-house employee referral, in a company's decision to hire. Additionally, social recruiting tends to remove or lower many time-consuming and costly pieces of a recruitment program, such as time-to-fill expenses.

Speculating on the future?

Ten years ago, applicant tracking systems revolutionized recruitment methods (and continue to do so, if I may add). These methods have evolved and progressed to reflect the needs of recruiters today. I believe that this will also happen with Social Recruiting (which many applicant tracking systems already incorporate). Social recruiting seems to be the recruitment tool of the future.

While social recruiting is still only in its beginning stages, some companies are taking the initiative and steering their recruitment program in that direction. And, by encompassing this type of sourcing into the recruiting function now, these companies will be one step ahead of the competition.

Well, only time will tell how these trends will turn, and of course, varying opinions are certain to arise. So, tell me. What do you think the future holds for Social Recruiting?

Life, for many people, is about the pursuit of happiness.  In fact, the Declaration of Independence is very clear.  It states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” 

We spend our lives seeking out what brings us joy.  Just thinking about certain experiences can bring a sense of comfort and well-being.  You know the feeling of warm sun on your face, or the taste of a warm chocolate chip cookie.  How about the pride a child feels on his/her birthday?

There is an interesting term being touted by www.Trendwatching.com.  The term, "Happynomics," draws a correlation between happiness and consumerism.

I find this incredibly interesting.  I’d like to think that we are all individuals, driven by individual things.  But, that’s not the case.  While we are each unique in our own way, we are remarkably similar in many ways.

People, from around the world, were informally surveyed.  They were asked the simple question, “What Makes You Happy?” The responses ranged and included things like money, love, friends/family, employment, weather (sun), music, food, and faith. 

The survey participants were then asked, “Would you buy more things if you had more money?”

Perhaps not surprisingly, people readily acknowledged their willingness to buy more if they had more.  The inference - “There’s always going to be demand for the right brands.”

Essentially, if brands make the right connection with their audience, that audience is willing to be manipulated, or at least, influenced.  I wonder how flexible a person would become if his/her happiness was guaranteed.

There are a lot of great companies that have been recognized for their pursuit to provide workplaces of choice.  Often, those companies have invested in benefits, rewards and recognition programs.  Discounts, on-site dining, gym memberships, and day care facilities are but a few of the many advancements in positive workforce relations that we’ve seen in recent years.  Those positive strides should be acknowledged.  The effort to institute programs like these is a major undertaking; often, time-consuming and expensive.  The return on that investment, however, can be tenfold.  Motivated and appreciated employees are loyal.  When companies take the time to provide resources, and/or acknowledge successes (even little ones), everyone benefits.

Consider this.  If you were guaranteed a 5-year career path with defined advancement and the opportunity to learn and perhaps, influence, would you be willing to accept a lesser compensation?  What about 10 extra hours of work each week?  How much more productive could you be without the concerns of job security?

It seems to me, generally speaking, we would all be more flexible if we were guaranteed a level of happiness.  Whether it’s flexible scheduling, available and accessible technology, or a relaxed dress code, figuring out what makes each individual happy is the tricky part for companies.

A candidate has a singular focus…to find an opportunity that is best-fit. Best-fit is not always about compensation.  More and more, companies are recognizing the opportunity to court candidates in alternative ways.  At the same time, candidates have a tremendous opportunity to truly identify, investigate and explore companies that provide the greatest likelihood of a successful match.

What do you think?  I’d be happy to hear your thoughts.

To see Trendwatching.com’s Happynomics’ video, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpImJvw2awI&feature=player_embedded  

Highly influential Boards such as those at GE and Google have always kept talent development in mind when looking at long-term strategy. The Boards of these companies have relevant expertise, but most importantly they have access to several key line managers (the succession pipeline) who provide the raw data needed to construct a long-term strategy. HireLabs study of a recent McKinsey survey has revealed a few very interesting facts about how more and more Boards are actively pushing for greater involvement in talent development.

Of 586 corporate directors of Fortune 1000 companies surveyed, they indicated that they spend only 11% of their time on Talent Management. Furthermore the survey also indicated that more half of those surveyed want a increased involvement in Talent Management. This is not surprising as noted by a HireLabs study on the psychology of a member of the Board, which discovered that an individual who accepts a seat in the Board wants to use their experience to shape the company. “I accepted a seat at the Board so that I can influence the management to become an industry leader” states a Board member at an oil company.”

Of the little time that Boards spend on Talent Management, a majority of it goes towards determining compensation and reward structures, but this is not why they accepted their position. The survey indicated Board members want to focus on developing leadership and succession pipeline. The most effective way to ensure that a valuable pipeline is to control quality of the new recruits. But the question that arises is: how do you do quality control of new recruits?

The quality of talent can be controlled by refining the existing selection and recruitment process. Boards who are taking Talent Management seriously should consider the use of Talent Assessment tools as a part of the recruitment process. Once the company has identified a long-term strategy, the company can assess the existing talent pipeline and see if they have the talent needed to fulfill the long-term strategy. Once the company knows what is missing, they can simply hire/acquire it.

Seasoned Board members subscribe to the philosophy that a company is only as good as its talent. Those Board members who want to influence the growth trajectory of their companies should encourage the use of Talent Assessment tools as a means of solidify their succession pipeline.

Painting the picture of opportunity in a talent acquisition process requires the deft touch of an artist. You must approach your candidates with care, clutching the initial relationship building phase like you were Michelangelo preparing to paint the Sistine Chapel. Too many mistakes and you can kiss your masterpiece goodbye. >> read more

Northern Illinois Society for Human Resource Management

Invites you to our After Work Networking Event

Thursday, March 11th 2010

4:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. @ The Cubby Bear North

21661 Milwaukee Avenue
Lincolnshire, IL

Appetizers, Cash Bar, Raffle & Great Networking

Pre-Register for $15 at www.nishrm.org

Or pay $25 at the door

Bring your business cards

To pre-register send an e-mail to nishrm@comcast.net with the header - CUBBY BEAR we will put you on the guest list as pre-registered!

Yesterday I met with the VP of Human Resources at a Fortune 500 company. I asked him how many people he had working for him and he said “About half.” [sound]

Though he said it in jest, it’s no secret that workplace morale- intrinsically tied to workplace productivity, is down. In January a Conference Board survey found that only 45% of those polled were satisfied with their jobs. Last month, Addecco Group North America released results of a survey to see if American workers were still “in love” with their jobs, and only 39% said that the economic situation caused them to appreciate their jobs more.

With the economy stabilizing and in many cases improving, popular thinking is that employees will be jumping ship, and the “war for talent” will be back as a hot topic. But what about the Loyalists. Or the Lazyists? The ones that aren’t looking for a new job or leaving any time soon. Maybe they’ve downshifted their efforts to match demand. Maybe they’ve gotten used to marching to a slower tempo. Will they wake up one Monday and start giving 110%?

The internet is full of quick, cheap and tidy ideas on how to improve workplace morale. They range from cuddles (recognition) and huddles (go-team-go) to thank-you notes, free lunches and time off for good behavior. But I contend that these broad brush strokes do little to improve culture or morale or raise the needle of employee engagement in any significant way. (I invite you to disagree and leave a comment with your proven favorites.)

Rather, now is the time to survey your population and get a baseline understanding of the current climate.

Are your employees connected to business?

Do they understand the goals and how their work contributes to the success of the enterprise?

Do you understand the top three places they might seek employment if your organization ceased to exist, and why?

Do you have systems in place that compensate employees for accomplishing goals large and small?

If your company has “taken a break” from launching employee surveys out of fear of what they will reveal, I urge you to bring them back. We are at the pinnacle of new and noteworthy times when HR can drive the rally, and implement focused ideas, tied to business goals that improve culture.

At the very least, you will have real insights from which to compare next year, or build a solid communications plan that drives employee engagement. (For help with survey or plan call us). At best, you have validated your own contribution to growth and revenue of the company you call home.

Later in the conversation, I asked him if he had any metrics around his recruitment advertising results. He said that he’s wasting half the money he spends- the trouble is, he doesn’t know which half. [sound]

Recently, FurstPerson published findings from our 2009 Contact Center Recruiting and Compensation Survey, which was completed by over a hundred contact center leaders from throughout North America. The benchmarks in this report allow contact centers to compare current practices against contact centers across the United States and Canada.

The results are intended to help guide best practices and enable contact centers to identify opportunities to improve their ability to find, hire, and keep the right talent. Five key findings from the survey were recently published in a research abstract. Over the next few postings, we will highlight several of these findings.

Similar to the results from the 2008 survey, employee referrals produced the largest percentage of new hires (see Table) followed by national job boards, the company web site, and print ads. The least productive strategies were Radio/TV, community recruiting, college or other school recruiting, career services, and job fairs. Moreover, roughly 48% of participants indicated that they did not use these strategies.

As a case example, we recently discussed two strategies to help improve new hire recruiting. The organization profiled has focused on expanding its employee referral program and shifting internet based recruiting to better utilization of its company web site.

About the Survey Participants: A total of 101 contact center leaders from the United States and Canada completed the survey, although not all sections were completed. The majority of participants had direct profit and loss responsibility, with more than 65% holding a director or higher level position (e.g., VP, CEO, etc.). Approximately 87% of participants reported at least one year of experience, and approximately one-third reported five or more years of experience in contact center leadership roles.

When the economy is in bad shape, the job market is usually worse. Those with jobs are trying to stay employed and people without jobs are desperately trying to find a new job, both can be extremely stressful.

If you put in the time and effort into finding a new job you will be rewarded no matter how fierce the competition is. Stay motivated and persistent – finding a new job is your new job right now.

These are the top ten ways to find a new job:

1. Use the Internet Daily – It is so easy to get lost on the Internet wasting time on websites, job boards and social media sites with no real benefits. Make sure you are actively spending your time on the Internet looking for and applying to jobs and networking with those who may be able to help. There are a ton of useful job boards and career sites to help you focus your search. Check out Job Board Reviews to help find the most useful websites to your industry or profession. Do your best to stay focused on your job search for a few hours a day. Be sure to actively apply to jobs, don’t just upload your resume and wait for phone calls.

2. Perfect your resume – Your resume is often the first glimpse a potential employer gets of you and your skills, make sure it accurately details your skills and work history and how they can benefit your future employer. Make sure you have someone proof read it before sending it out and try to customize it for each job you are applying for.

3. Network – Let everyone you know that you are looking for a job. The more people you have out there on your team, with eyes open the more opportunities you will have. Tell everyone in your network what kind of a job you are looking for or any special skills you may have. You can forward your resume to people in your network and ask them if they know of anyone hiring or if they can check within their company for any open positions. Most people actually find and are hired through referrals from a friend or family member than any other source.

4. Go back to school – Now is the time to get the competitive edge over other job candidates. Many people are finding it hard to get to a traditional college or university and are opting for online schools and programs. Look into enrolling in an accredited online college for some online courses and upgrading your training. Increasing your education will improve your resume and get you one step closer to landing a job.

5. Target Local Companies – Get out and start knocking on some doors. If you are not having any luck online submitting your resume online, it’s time to get out and start meeting people face to face. Make a list of companies in your area that you would like to work for, call them directly to see if they have any openings that interest you. If that doesn’t work, put on some professional attire and stop by with your resume in hand.

6. Industry Mags and Social Niches – Sometimes the best positions that are the perfect fit are only being advertised in industry specific magazines and publications. Sign up for some Industry trade magazines, online groups, forums, and social networks. Reading up on the latest industry news is a great way to stay on top and find new open positions. It also will help with your industry specific networking.

7. Job Fairs – Can it get better than this. Job fairs are a giant room or convention center filled with companies who are looking to hire. Dress to impress, print out a bunch of copies on your resume and start talking to companies who are looking to hire. It’s such an easy way to meet people and get some help with your search.

8. Get some Professional Help - Recruiters, headhunters, and temp agencies are always looking for qualified candidates. Find some recruiters that specialize in your industry or position and get them your resume.

9. State and public resources – There are so many free resources offered by your state to help job seekers find a new job. Most states and counties offer everything from resume writing services, career counseling, and lots of sessions on all the skills you will need to find you new job. State and local resources are also often given lists of openings that aren’t posted or found in other locations. Pop on over and see what they can offer.

10. Consider Freelancing – If you are not finding the right full time position, consider taking a contract position or freelancing your services out. Many companies are not able to hire for full time positions but would be willing to give you a try on an as need basis.

Get on out there! Remember to Network, keep your head up and Don’t give up! There is someone out there waiting to hire you.

Unemployment took a dip in Michigan in January. Woo-hoo! We now have 14.3% unemployment, doubled to count underemployed, part-time employed, and people who have stopped looking, to 28.6%. And, these are just the people who remain in the state looking. On a daily basis, the freeways are jammed with people, who are mobile, leaving Michigan for fairer climes with potential jobs. Thus, I awaited the Department of Labor February unemployment announcement with interest.

Nationally, unemployment is holding at 9.7% for February. Given that many economists and pundits predict no recovery in unemployment numbers prior to 2011 or later, this is better news than expected. Keep in mind that various experts say that 7-9,000,000 jobs have disappeared forever and this magnifies the difficulty of the unemployed in finding work.

Are You in Danger of a Layoff?

In this job climate, remaining employed is paramount. So, is knowing if a layoff and unemployment are headed your way. There are actions you can take, while you are still employed, that will help you navigate the sea of unemployment should it strike your family.

• In Danger of Getting Fired or Laid Off? How to Know and What to Do if an Employment Termination Looms

  There are signs and signals to watch for when a layoff is imminent. Don't let a layoff catch you unawares. From contacting your professional network to planning how to negotiate your severance package and tidying up your company-owned computer, this is what you need to know and do if a layoff seems imminent.

• How to Prepare for Unemployment While Employed

  If you're reading this, congratulations. You're probably still employed. That means that you have time to put your financial, social, and work affairs in order in case your employment status changes. You can prepare for unemployment while still employed. In fact, there is no better time to prepare for unemployment than while you're still employed. Don't let yourself be a victim of "it can't happen here" thinking. (This is my brand new article - take a look.)

Layoff Advice From Career Experts

My colleagues at About.com have created a resource that will help you do what you need to do from anticipating a layoff through finding your next job. Concerned about what to do if you are laid off? Take a look at the resources hosted by Alison Doyle at the Job Searching site: Surviving a Layoff. This is the information you need to weather a layoff, from anticipation and fear of a layoff through obtaining your brand new job. Best wishes on your job search.

_{Image Copyright Pali Rao}

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Worried About a Layoff and Unemployment? originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 13:27:18.

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Being in the recruiting business allows me to speak with so many people from so many different walks of life. Although I am in the medical device recruiting business, I talk to many different people in outside industries too. I cherish the conversations I have with everyone because it allows me to have a sneak peek into what makes people tick, what motivates people to achieve the extraordinary. But something has me worried lately. >>read more

When I saw the Tweet from @missusP from PerkettPR about It Is Make A Referral Week from Duct Tape Marketing -- I clicked, read and thought "how cool".

For most SMB, even the mostly tiniest of business growth has been erratic at best. It's almost been like a game of red light, green light from my childhood.

Green light - hey, let's do some business and maybe hire a person or two!

Red light - NOOOOO! STOP! NOOOOO!

Green light - Go!

Red light - No!

And that unprecedented pattern continues to play out for us and millions and millions of other businesses across the globe. It ain't my earlier incarnation's recovery, that's for sure.

Referrals aren't anything new -- whether it be for business or jobs -- and it's a vital part remodeling the economic kitchen. I see it play out everyday in the HR marketplace. So many good folks out there of late sharing the latest in job opportunities throughout all the social networks.

I read in a recent BusinessWeek article the latest jobless seems to be stabilizing:

The unemployment rate in the U.S. held at 9.7 percent in February and employers cut fewer jobs than anticipated, indicating improvement in the labor market..

The number of temporary workers increased by 48,000 in February, the fifth straight monthly gain. Payrolls at temporary-help agencies often turn up before total employment because companies prefer to see a steady increase in demand before taking on permanent staff...

Yes, there's still the much higher number of temporary and contractors and freelancers (some of which spurs entrepreneurism however) and the whole swath of underemployed, but we're looking for any yummy chicken nuggets of good news (with hot mustard sauce, please).

So refer away with your bad selves and share the menu.

For example, if you're an HR supplier who finds HRmarketer.com's marketing and PR products and services aren't a fit for your firm's palate (and thankfully many of you do), then may I suggest a lovely Starr Tincup or Devon Group dish, or any of the other marketing firms and freelancers out there serving up their own tasty services.

It's the old Macy's / Gimbels Miracle on 34th Street referral -- if we don't have what you need, they might.

"Why thank you, Santa. I'll be back here for sure."

Are you bold enough to do that? Keep sharing because business growth means more jobs and more business and more jobs.

For example, if you're interested in the job below, let me know (it's not posted anywhere, so if you want more info, I'll pass you along). It's in the Northwest and the right applicant needs to have a strong talent management background:

The Vice President of Marketing reports to the CEO and is a member of the Company’s executive team. He/She will be responsible for providing executive leadership and management of the marketing organization and in-bound and out-bound marketing activities worldwide, which includes: Corporate marketing/brand management, partner/channel marketing, product marketing, and lead generation program management.

Let's get the economy simmering again with some piping hot referral soup.

Hmmm, doesn't that social media smell good?

Post by Kevin W. Grossman (join me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn - and now join HRmarketer on Twitter!)

Everyone who works in Human Resources, management, or even as an employee, has memorable first work moments to share. In Human Resources, I can clearly remember the first time I had to fire a staff member - it's irrevocably etched in my memory. I remember, too, the first disciplinary action I had to take and the first job offer I made. Here are my most remarkable HR moments. What are your most memorable firsts? Please share.

Once upon a time, I had a boss who hurt my ability to accomplish my work. He hobbled my progress by making me seek permission for almost every decision I made. Not a bad boss, mind you, just one who wasn't sensitive to the impact of his actions on his staff...

I'd put questions and memos in his mailbox or on his desk (since he was always in meetings) and they showed up in my mailbox every day with "see me about this" scrawled on a sticky note. "See me" was the problem. Managers in my then company were in meetings most of the day, playing court to the plant manager. So, I often had to wait for our weekly meeting to get the feedback I needed to proceed. What a waste of his talents and mine! Plus, the "see me" pile was often several inches thick which meant we rarely got to new business during my weekly one-on-one.

I finally reached the boiling level of frustration, decided I didn't care if he fired me, found an ounce of professional courage, and responded. I took every "see me" piece of paper I received one week, clipped them all together and scrawled on a sticky note: "see me." I put the stack in his mailbox and held my breath. A few hours later, he was standing by my desk with the pile in his hand - laughing.

Okay, so my "first time I ever confronted my boss" story has a happy ending; they don't all end this way, I know. But, our most memorable experiences at work shape a lot about who we are and what we believe. My ideas about employee empowerment, employee involvement, and delegation are a result of this experience with a manager I actually liked a lot. See my new article to find tips about building an effective relationship with your boss.

Today, though, I am hoping you will share some of your most memorable HR moments, the moments that you and others experience that are the moments you most remember. You might like to read about my most remarkable, memorable HR moments, but then, please share your remarkable HR moments.

_{Image Copyright Yuri Arcurs / Getty Images}

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HR Remarkable Firsts originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 05:11:34.

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In an economic climate in which lower wage increases prevail and employers seek to provide affordable rewards and recognition for their employees, a focus on employee's and family members' vision is a low cost perk. Are you getting the best benefit from the benefits you offer? And, what better time to pay attention to employee vision than March which is Workplace Eye Health and Safety Month?

While vision insurance may be beyond your reach, although recommended in a comprehensive benefits package, vision education and testing is not. Day and evening seminars that cover the vision information in this post, and more, such as eating for healthy vision and vision changes as people age, are a well-appreciated employer wellness offering. Additionally, provide initial vision testing for family members and vision day might just be the perk the motivation doctor ordered. Serve refreshments such as pizza or a lunch to bolster turnout.

Workplace Vision Tips from the AOA

Whether using a computer or a sledge hammer to get the job done, the American Optometric Association (AOA) reports that visual discomfort, eye strain and eye injuries in the workplace are common and cost employers billions in lost productivity each year. Research indicates that 2,000 workers each day in the United States sustain job-related eye injuries requiring medical treatment. Yet, safety experts and doctors of optometry agree that 90 percent of all eye and vision injuries could be prevented with simple safety steps such as wearing properly designed and fitted protective eyewear.

According to the AOA's annual American Eye-Q® survey, (the results were conveyed for this blog post, via a press release), nearly half of all Americans (46 percent) spend five or more hours per day using a computer or a PDA (personal digital assistant). While technology improves work productivity, the prolonged use of electronic devices may lead to problems such as eye strain, dry eyes, headaches, fatigue, blurred vision and loss of focus.

Five Steps to Vision Care

The AOA recommends these five steps, and even if you do nothing else for vision month, you can distribute these to your employees and post them in your workplace.

• "Give It A Rest: Remember the 20-20-20 rule. At least every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away. The Eye-Q® survey found that the majority of Americans don't follow this rule; more than half (59 percent) take breaks every hour, or less frequently.
• "Size Up: Smaller screens on hand-held devices usually favor tiny type that challenges your vision. Instead of bringing the screen closer to the eyes, increase the font size so the device can be used at a distance that is more comfortable for your eyes.
• "Sharpen Up: Better resolution offers greater clarity and usually more comfort. Adjust the brightness of the screen to a comfortable intensity, neither too bright nor too dim.
• "Reduce Glare: Hand-held devices present challenges in various lighting conditions. When possible, try to make sure lighting is not directly behind the head or in front. The AOA recommends users try to reduce glare, which may ease reading and can make a bigger difference than increasing the font.
• "Look Down: It's easier on the eyes to focus on reading material that is below eye level, therefore, the AOA recommends a computer monitor or hand-held device be positioned slightly below eye level."
  •  
    • "Know the eye safety dangers.
    • "Eliminate hazards before starting work such as using machine guards, work screens or other engineering controls.
    • "Wear the proper eye protection and make sure it is correctly fitted.
    • "Keep safety eyewear in good condition and replace it if it is damaged."

    
    

  The AOA recommends these elements to protect office eyes from injury.

  Industrial Eye Protection

  In industrial settings, the AOA recommends four key elements to protect eyes from injury:

  Whether you sponsor a vision day or disseminate these ideas, employees experience a sense of well-being and satisfaction when their employer exhibits concern for their health and safety.

  All Topics | Most Popular | Newsletter | HR Forum

Workplace Wellness: Vision for March originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 10:36:16.

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No matter your job or your industry, this year is a challenge for employment. In 2008, 48% of employers laid people off, according to a Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) survey cited at CNNmoney.com.

This number is anticipated to rise in 2009 and 2010 and the job market is not expected to recover until 2011, according to Challenger Gray & Christmas, a Chicago-based outplacement firm.

These odds are not in your favor, but you can increase your chances of keeping your job by increasing your value to your company. Let's face it, companies do not lay off their best employees unless the employee works in a non-critical position or the company is suffering near death throes.

But, you need to have a strategy about how to keep your job. I've listed a few in my newest poll and highlighted ten strategies in How to Keep Your Job. What's your strategy for staying employed in the current economic climate? You do have a strategy - don't you?

Please take a look at what others have said and respond in What's Your Strategy for Keeping Your Job?

Quote of the Week - More Quotes

Dane, a reader who works in the pharmacy industry, writes to us to share these words for trying times: "I believe the anonymous author who wrote the Serenity Prayer was a little vague intentionally. The ideals Serenity, Courage and Wisdom are much too precise to be paired with the ambiguous word, things. Things such as doors, rocks, fences have
never caused the disruption in my life that people have.

"When I learned to name the specific thing I had to accept, that I can change, then and only then, was I blessed
with the needed Serenity, Courage and Wisdom. I enjoy my journey through life more when I
am not creating my own hardships."

Dane says:

"God grant me the Serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the Courage to change the one person I can - myself - and the Wisdom to know if it is my problem or their problem."

Please vote in my poll and respond.

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Strategy to Keep Your Job? originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 12:59:35.

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Probably because I am a woman, I watch studies about women and success in the workplace with great interest. Jennifer Middlin sent me an interesting piece from the Washington Post that refutes some of the commonly held beliefs about women and salary negotiation: Salary, Gender, and the Social Cost of Haggling. Commonly, women are thought of as less aggressive than men and less likely to negotiate for more compensation. It turns out, salary negotiation by women is viewed less positively than salary negotiation by men.

Linda C. Babcock, a professor of economics at Carnegie Mellon University and Hannah Riley Bowles, who studies the psychology of organizations at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, "found that women's reluctance was based on an entirely reasonable and accurate view of how they were likely to be treated if they did. Both men and women were more likely to subtly penalize women who asked for more -- the perception was that women who asked for more were 'less nice'."

"In a final set of studies, Bowles's team had 367 volunteers play the role of job candidates and left it up to them to decide whether to ask for more money than they were offered. Women were less likely than men to negotiate when they believed they would be dealing with a man, but there was no significant difference between men and women when they thought a woman would be making the decision. The applicants, in other words, were accurately reading how males and females were likely to perceive them.

"'This isn't about fixing the women," Bowles said. 'It isn't about telling women, 'You need self-confidence or training.' They are responding to incentives within the social environment.'"

Other studies find different results, but do read this informative article that summarizes their studies. March is Women's History Month and you'll want to take a look at the special material about women's history available from Jone Johnson Lewis who is About.com's women's history expert.

_{Image Copyright Nikolay Mamluke}

More About Women and Work

• How Real Women Get Ahead: The Woman's Advantage at Work.
• Women and Work: Then, Now, and Predicting the Future for Women in ...
• Why Sexy Isn't Better: How Sexual Behavior Can Submarine Your Career.

More About Salary Negotiation

• How to Make More Money: Your Lifetime Income Potential.
• How to Ask for a Pay Raise in a Tough Economy.
• How to Ask for a Pay Raise.
• Tips for a Successful Salary Negotiation.

All Topics | Most Popular | Newsletter | HR Forum

Womens' Negotiation Reluctance Warranted originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 11:00:20.

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"I didn't want to go to a big company and I didn't want to go to a startup. Scaling a company: that's the most enjoyable phase. That's what I like doing."

That's a quote from Bill Watkins, Ex-Seagate CEO, in a recent San Jose Mercury News article about him becoming the CEO of a clean-tech company.

Scaling a company. The most enjoyable phase. It kept ringing in my ear like the morning after a rock concert.

Aren't we always scaling our companies? (Man, I love that song...)

Most SMB businesses in the HR marketplace -- and most businesses across the board with fewer than 20 employees comprise 87 percent of the total U.S. private employer base (and they're doing better by the way) -- are actually having to do three things simultaneously, or at least in rapid repetitive and cyclical succession:

• Starting up - educating the market, brand and relationship building, and differentiating from competitors
• Scaling - educating the market, brand and relationship building, and capturing market share
• Nurturing - educating the market, brand and relationship building, and maintaining market share (customer service)

All of which share:

• Educating the market (customers, prospects and influencers)
• Brand and relationship building

A lot of hard work that includes:

• Planning marketing activities
• Managing marketing activities
• Executing marketing activities
• Tracking marketing activities
• Measuring marketing activities (publicity, traffic, leads, improved SEO)

In order to take the three steps of starting up, scaling and nurturing, you've got to allocate staff and resources to take these three steps:

Step One: Strategy, Messaging and the Search-Optimized “Marketing” Web site

Before engaging in any marketing, you need to have a strategy –- a long-term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal and the messaging to drive that strategy. Then you need a Web site with a strong online presence that is search-optimized to improve the volume and quality of traffic to a Web site from search engines via natural (“organic”) search results.

Step Two: Content. Content. Content.

How many times do we have to say it - a primary goal of your Web site is to convert visitors into prospects (then nurture them into true leads). But without site traffic, you have no prospects. And without great content, in addition to SEO, you have no site traffic, only virtual crickets chirping.

Step Three: Promotion.

Okay, now you have a winning strategy, powerful messaging, and a great Web site that is search-optimized. And you have lots of great content and processes in place to generate fresh content on a regular basis. Now you’re ready to promote and distribute that content to generate visibility, traffic and leads.

Promotional tactics being everything from:

• Direct email and print marketing
• Search-optimized press releases
• Media relations and pitching
• Analyst briefings
• Partnerships/affiliate programs
• Content download campaigns (articles, white papers and research reports)
• Blogging
• Podcasts/Video
  
• Webcasts
• Trade shows
• Speaking
  
• Mobile
  
• Online radio
• And now we've got social media marketing - the sharing of relevant content and the building of trust and relationships with very specific prospect groups

Now that you've passed out, dream about scaling a cliff without a rope.

C'mon. You can do this marketing thing. We're here to help.

Post by Kevin W. Grossman (join me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn - and now join HRmarketer on Twitter!)

Participating in an interview for an education resource recently, I learned about teachers and absenteeism.

The editor, who interviewed me, shared that research indicates that students do better academically when their regular teacher is present, so there are compelling reasons to encourage teachers to come to work. For our purposes, however, these thoughts can apply to people who work in any professional occupation.

You will always have Gamers. Consequently, your goal with any attendance system is to honor the commitment and dedication of your employees who come to work. In organizations, people have a tendency to write policies to punish and control the behavior of the few gamers. Instead, policies should recognize that the majority of employees come to work and recognize this contribution.

Create an Effective Attendance Policy

With an effective attendance policy, first, you must have a way to track the time people take off from work so that the integrity of your Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, your sick leave policy, and / or your paid vacation policy is ensured. This also ensures that the time off rules are the same for everyone which is important for the sense of workplace fairness and justice. This is especially important to manage unscheduled absences for which many workplaces have trouble with work coverage. This is true for teachers and other employees who have work stations that must be covered.

Second, and probably most importantly, you need to manage absenteeism. This means that the employee needs to call in directly to the supervisor who is trained to manage absenteeism. This starts with the personal call and the supervisor telling the employee that they will be missed and the impact of their absence on the workplace. Each instance ends with the supervisor personally welcoming the employee back to work and once again, telling the employee about the impact of their absence on the workplace and their coworkers.

Third, if possible, allow flexibility in your workplace so that an employee with an early doctor's appointment or a sick child, as examples, can work later or come earlier to make up the time. Women, unfortunately, according to U.S. Department of Labor figures, experience more absenteeism related to family matters. Especially single moms, with no safety net of family or a partner, struggle with attendance, in my experience.

So, this flexibility might also include the ability to share jobs, experience flexible days or hours, and work from home, or telecommute, under guidelines. I'm not a huge fan of compensatory or comp time (Nolo.com) because I believe it encourages a clock-watching attitude that is not in keeping with the accomplishment of the whole job and goals that I look for in an exempt or salaried employee. But, exempt jobs are the jobs that will most frequently allow flexibility.

Fourth, rewards and recognition for positive attendance can make a difference. While you don't want people feeling as if they must be paid extra for doing their job, you do want them to know that you appreciate and respect their positive attendance. In some cases, especially with non-exempt employees, and to reduce unscheduled absences, you may want to build actual monetary rewards into your attendance policy.

Finally, I don't even like to discuss this, but as with any employment responsibility, there must be consequences if the employee is failing. To whom is this the most important? To all of the employees who have good attendance, work hard, and find their personal motivation affected by people who fail to come to work. Progressive discipline is critical, starting with coaching and feedback, and performing the steps in attendance management listed above.

Please take a look at the Paid Time Off (PTO) Policy I've developed. Your feedback is always appreciated.

_{Image © Kelly Young}

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You Will Always Have Gamers originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 07:43:13.

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Human Resources related letters and samples of all kinds are supplied on this site.

Sample policies, procedures, checklists, and forms are also provided for your personal, not commercial, use. I am continuing to add to my Human Resources sample letters. These sample Human Resources letters provide guidance for common letters you encounter in business and human resources. Use these sample human resources letters to make job offers, thank rejected job candidates, resign from your job, review resume cover letters, review interview thank you letters, and provide effective employee recognition. Find sample human resources letters.

Additionally, here are sample employment letters that will help you find, employ, and welcome staff to your company. Please let me know of additions and specific topics you'd like to see covered.

_{Image © Pali Rao}

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You Use HR Letters originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 at 07:31:09.

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The democratization of knowledge flattens the world like a pancake. The alphabet, the written word, the printing press, SNL, the Internet...

And now social media.

While the jury is still out with the captains of HR industry about the ultimate business value of social media, most of us running businesses in the HR marketplace and beyond agree that social media is a viable marketing communications channel to:

• Share thought leadership
• Share original content and news
• Share other's content and news
• Listen and learn
• Facilitate better communication within their organization and without (creating brand ambassadors)
• Network, relationship build and develop collaborative partnerships

The last bullet being the germinated seed of the TalentCulture community.

Meghan Biro, the founder of TalentCulture, is the consummate networker and someone I connected with on Twitter only a few months ago.

With her passion, wit and wisdom and her knowledge of the greater HR and recruitment marketplace, she pulled together a team of entrepreneurial contributors who will launch regular conversations about the issues of career, culture (workplace, digital lifestyle, trends, popular, alternative, arts) talent acquisition, branding, sustainability, social causes, motivation and innovation.

You name it. Besides sharing valuable content with our readers we of course hope to generate visibility and traffic for each other's businesses via the TalentCulture community, and ultimately leads and business.

I'm honored to be one of these fine folks -- these are Go-To Guys and Gals. Maybe in previous incarnations we would've met in any one of these forums:

• Cocktail Hour
• Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
• Trade Shows
• Golf
• Association Meetings
• Networking Events
• Online Discussion Groups

Maybe...but instead is was the power of social media that germinated this collaborative partnership.

Right on. Please subscribe and read and spread the word!

Post by Kevin W. Grossman (join me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn - and now join HRmarketer on Twitter!)

Employers should never embark upon an employee layoff as if the reduction in employees will solve the problems of the business. An employee layoff is a devastating event for both the employees who remain with your organization and the employees who find themselves without jobs in an unemployment scenario that has around 10% of available workers unemployed with another 10% or more who are underemployed, employed part time, or who have just plain given up looking for jobs. (The actual unemployment rate will be released for February on March 5.)

I've themed this week's newsletters and blog posts around layoffs and dealing with unemployment. But, I encourage people who are still employed to adopt the practices recommended in: How to Keep Your Job, and that employers who must do employee layoffs adopt these best practices.

Still employed? Watch for Thursday's newsletter. I am taking on what currently employed people need to do now to be as prepared as possible if the dreaded layoff occurs.

How you lay off employees in this economic climate really matters. You've heard me discuss alternatives to layoffs, none of which are exceptionally positive, but may provide temporary solutions for your business.

The pain of layoff and unemployment is real and scary for people. Prospects are cloudy on the employment horizon. Sometimes, when you've tried everything else to preserve your business, an employee layoff becomes essential. Best practices in layoffs matter for the employees you lay off and the employees who survive the layoffs.

Employee layoffs allow you to cut costs while preserving your relationship with your most critical employees. Plan first for your organization's future when you embark upon an employee layoff. These are best practices of employers toward the employees they must lay off. Find out how to help the employees who survive the layoffs maintain positive morale and motivation.

_{Image Copyright Nicholas Monu}

More About How Employers Do Layoffs

• Layoffs With Dignity.
• Layoff Survivors.
• Survivors Can Soar After Layoffs.
• How to Cope When Coworkers Lose Their Jobs.
• How Did You Cope With the Loss of Coworkers in Layoffs?

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Employee Layoff Practices Matter originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 06:23:39.

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February is National Black History Month, a month during which we recognize the achievements and contributions of black Americans.

In my classic piece, Search for Similarities, about diversity in the workplace, you'll find my preferred approach.

For others, quite a controversy exists as to whether Black History Month remains relevant. About.com's Race Relations writer, Nadra Kareem believes it is, but quotes Morgan Freeman, who feels differently, in her discussion of the controversy.

"Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman has taken to task the fact that the U.S. still celebrates Black History Month. In a 2005 60 Minutes interview, Freeman called Black History Month ridiculous. 'You're going to relegate my history to a month?' he asked. 'I don't want a Black History Month. Black history is American history.'"

No matter your take on the controversy, February is Black History Month, a time when you can explore the resources available about Black History from the many expert writers at About.com.

And, if you agree with Morgan Freeman, March is Black History Month, too.

More About Black History

• Mary Bellis, the About.com Inventors writer, provides the history of Black History Month and highlights the achievements of black inventors.
• Black American history from abolition to current events is the focus of About.com's Martin Kelly in the American History section.
• Notable black women are highlighted by Jone Johnson Lewis, About.com's Women's History writer.
• Diana Rattray explores African American food and recipes at About.com's Southern Food.

_{Image Copyright Tom Fullum / Getty Images}

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Explore Black History originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Saturday, February 27th, 2010 at 13:11:50.

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Unemployment will be with us for the forseeable future. The buildup of job loss that results in the current levels of unemployment started ten years ago and won't dissipate in the current economic climate. The emotional, mental, familial, workplace, and societal consequences of the current level of unemployment will have a profound and lasting impact on the lives and prospects of millions. A whole generation will discover that life isn't exactly what they (or their parents) prepared them to experience.

My colleague, Alison Doyle, has provided an opportunity for the unemployed to tell their stories at the Job Searching website. Most of the unemployment stories are sad.

People who worked hard and paid taxes all of their lives find themselves unemployed in their fifties with no prospects. Younger people, who studied hard to prepare for a career, find limited job prospects. People who had always worked hard in their office or shop find that their job no longer exists - and they are ill-prepared for the jobs of the new world and the new economy.

Then again, there are stories that make me ask, what on earth was the person thinking in this economic climate? As an example, a young woman, returning from FMLA pregnancy leave, was offered a job that was a half hour further from her home than her pre-leave commute. As an economic condition for survival, the employer had combined several office locations during her absence. She quit her job and is whining to the world about the illegal actions of the employer in changing her work location.

Another man quit because he didn't like his boss. Okay, so some of the stories make me want to tell people to get a life. Other stories did make me cry; from an employment standpoint, the prospects of many people are bleak.

Once again, from the employer point of view, Congress is passing measures, such as extending unemployment compensation benefits, that are benefitting the people who are truly hurting in the here and now. But, the additional burden to employers will interfere with job creation - the engine upon which recovery will be built. The unemployed receive a pittance to help with the now while their future goes up in smoke. (By some estimates, as an example, taxes on my business in Michigan are anticipated to increase by 1000% over the next couple of years.) How can employers expand employment - which is needed - in that uncertain environment?

Societal Impact of Unemployment

In the midst of these thoughts, I came across an analysis in the The Atlantic, which is revolutionizing my thinking about the actual societal impact of the joblessness we see all around us - and the picture is brutal. In "How a New Jobless Era Will Transform America," Don Peck, The Atlantic's deputy managing editor, summarizes some of his thoughts and offers solutions.

"Of necessity, those solutions must include measures to bolster the economy in the short term, and to clear the way for faster long-term growth; to support the jobless today, and to ensure that we are creating the kinds of jobs (and the kinds of skills within the population) that can allow for a more broadly shared prosperity in the future. A few of the solutions--like more-aggressive support for the unemployed, and employer tax credits or other subsidies to get people back to work faster--are straightforward and obvious, or at least they should be. Many are not."

Further, you may be interested in the interview he did with PBS: "Considering Unemployment's Lingering Social, Emotional Consequences," during which he highlighted lingering consequences.

"...the average duration of unemployment passed six months last fall. That is the longest that has ever been recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics since 1948. And long-term unemployment is really one of the worst things that can happen to anyone.

"Psychologically, it's roughly equivalent to the death of a spouse. And it's a kind of bereavement in its own right. So, when you have large numbers of people who are suffering from long-term unemployment, it's -- it's really a plague on them, on their families, and, if it's widespread enough, on society itself."

Almost no one I know has moved through this economic recession unscathed. The impacts and consequences have been too widespread and profound to ignore. I'd like to hear your thoughts about recovery and moving forward. Do you have solutions that we, our families, and our nation can pursue and adopt? Please read this life-altering article and share your thoughts.

Surely, while recognizing the severe consequences for society of unemployment during this economic downturn, we can create more than gloom and doom scenarios going forward?

Do you have a coworker from Hell story to share?

_{Image Copyright Paul Conrath / Getty Images}

Recommended Actions in Economic Downturn

• Recession Planning for Employees.
• What's Your Strategy for Keeping Your Job? (Vote in my poll.)
• In Danger of Getting Fired or Laid Off?
• What Did You Do To Keep Your Job?

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Unpredictable (Predictable) Consequences of Unemployment originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Friday, February 26th, 2010 at 09:59:02.

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Ever play nation ball? I loved it growing up. It was a dodge ball variant that really rocked with fast-paced action, mystery, misery, intrigue, redemption, success, failure and ultimate victory.

Like the workplace.

In nation ball (as in many games of my youth) there were usually these players:

• The Team Captains. The playground leaders who always picked the teams.
• The Go-To Guys and Gals. Those who are always picked in the first few rounds of team selection.
• The Expendable Crew Members. Those who had some nation ball skills, who aspired to be the go-to kids, but were known for getting picked off early on.
• The Pariahs. Those who stood on the sidelines because they were never picked. If they were, they were the first to go. Always.

This was the hierarchy. HR was made up of the teachers and playground aides, the watchdogs, who only cared about maintaining order and compliance; not a lot of T&D going on to facilitate better mad nation ball skills (or tetherball, or four square, or hopscotch, or kickball, or...).

It wasn't about "everybody's a winner" and "everybody gets to play". You either fought to be a go-to, or you remained expendable. Or you were a pariah.

Right or wrong those were the rules of the playground. Maybe the rules at your company today.

Sure, with all the talk of employee development and engagement and retention and the need to hold on to your talent, you'd think that wasn't the case.

But business is crazy-fast these days across industries and there's limited time to help the expendable crew members, and goodness gracious, the pariahs as well. So we try to ignore them. The focus is on the go-to's.

Leaders always go to the go-to's first. The ones who go above and beyond. Work early and work late. The ones who get things done, who help grow the business, who own the knowledge capital of your organization.

The bottlenecks.

Wait, what? Yes, the bottlenecks. The ones who slow down the crazy-fast, but not in a good way.

The go-to bottlenecks are the top talent we want to retain, but we're jeopardizing the business the way we treat them -- and we'll lose them someday.

There's a ton of chatter about these go-to folks having to do much more with much less and they want to jump ship no matter how cold the water.

And they can. Because you choke them.

What do we do? Unthrottle the go-to bottlenecks.

• Create formal and informal go-to learning networks for mentoring and career development.
• Empower and train the expendable crew members so as to develop more go-to's.
• (Just added -- jogged from my jog) Allow go-to's and expendables in training to dial up and down their roles and responsibilities.
• (Just added -- jogged from my jog) Recruit and hire those with go-to potential -- FT, PT, contractor, etc.
• Reward the unthrottled go-to's and empowered and trained expendable crew members.
• Don't be afraid to fire those who can't be empowered and developed.

Oh, and watch out for the --

*smack*

ball.

Post by Kevin W. Grossman (join me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn - and now join HRmarketer on Twitter!)

The Wall Street Journal made several key points I'd like to share. Fear of losing costly lawsuits is making employers hesitant to fire employees who are underperforming.

And, human resources professionals, who must monitor and lead the process, yet don't have to work directly with an underperforming employee, are often blamed for not letting non-performing employees go sooner. Indeed, some of these fears and concerns are well-founded.

Laws about retaliation by employers fill the books these days. Passed to protect workers, these laws are now protecting underperforming employees and making firing an employee much more difficult, but doable if you follow the appropriate steps.

Retaliation lawsuits make up thirty percent of the cases reviewed by the EEOC. Age-related lawsuits are recently up eighteen percent and, in a layoff situation, employers are responsible for proving no disparate impact on employees over age 40.

This becomes especially important now when some Boomers are retiring, others are scared to death to retire with their savings and 401(k)s in a shambles, and a rising unemployment level. Many businesses are freezing hiring due to economic uncertainty which leaves even fewer openings for the job searchers.

Don't be afraid of being sued. Despite the fact that it may seem some days that lawyers are conspiring to sue employers for the smallest offense, and, believe me, some are. This is how they make their living. Just do your homework. Make sure your managers are well-trained about documenting performance for each employee. Note that I did not say just underperforming employees, I said, each employee.

Then, follow up with employees who are not performing. Coach and counsel, try to help the employee improve, and document each of these steps. If all else fails, document a formal improvement plan (PIP) with the goal of really effective communication with the employee. (Do the PIP step only when you have confidence that the employee can improve and that your confidence in the employee is not eroded beyond repair.) Do these steps correctly, over a period of time, and you will know, both legally and ethically, that you did your best to help the employee succeed.

Will you never be sued? Undoubtedly, if you are in business long enough, you will be sued. In the United States, particularly, anyone can sue anyone for just about anything, any time. But, you can mitigate the potential and the damage. Identify early that an employee is not performing. And, do something about it - quickly.

_{Image Copyright Stockbyte / Getty Images}

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Do Your Job - Despite the Threat of Lawsuits originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 16:20:25.

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There's a movement afoot. Those of us participating regularly in social media are fully aware of it, since social media can be the microscope that quickly separates the authentic from the slight of hand.

The movement of transparency; to be a better me.

That's the case from individual to corporation. Gone are the days when we could hide behind untruth and bad behavior and skip the consequences.

Trust is the new currency and we no longer control the message.

Well, with the exception of US politics, but even these daily untruths seem to be catching up with them.

Shining the light on the here and now is all too easy; the only true way to differentiate is to be personally and socially responsible and accountable -- and to be prepared to face the consequences sooner than later if you're not.

For example, check out the offering from a new service called TransparentMe, where job-seekers can discover any skeletons in their closet before a potential employer does.

The public records provider allows candidates to perform an online criminal background check on themselves in a matter of days or even minutes – revealing any negative information that could keep them from landing their next job. With identity theft on the rise, the service can also serve as an alarm that one's identity has been compromised.

There are already dozens of services like this on the market.

Another HR supplier (that we work with) -- Zapoint -- promotes skill-based profiling, collaborative career management and transparent succession development, creating a symbiotic relationship between employee and employer. This is the future of talent management.

Then there's the recent guest article from Kevin Wheeler in John Sumser's HRExaminer titled Is HR Relevant and Does It Matter?:

The Way it Might Be

HR might instead accept that creative work now means collaborating, sharing, and allowing information and ideas to flow freely. Newer organizations are already using HR in a different way. While there are usually rules and policies, they are often much simpler and less “policed” than those of large organizations. Information is openly shared including salaries and bonuses. Employees are asked to recommend friends and colleagues as candidates for open positions. Recruiting and development become more the responsibility of managers than of some corporate office. Blogs and social networks form the basis of communication both within and outside the organizations and can be harnessed for recruiting candidates, on-boarding new employees, developing current employees and for sharing information.

Ah, the utopia of transparent personal and social responsibility...

To be a better me. To be a better leader. To be a better corporation. To more freely exchange ideas and talent and facilitate better internal and external communication.

To stand taller and more visible amongst your competitors. To have the transparency edge.

A recent article in Fortune titled Why doing good is good for business brings it all together under with the consulting firm of Los Angeles-based management guru, Dov Seidman. He's become the hottest adviser on corporate virtue to Fortune 500 companies.

Corporate virtue? Really?

A trained moral philosopher, Seidman has built a highly successful business on the theory that in today's wired and transparent global economy, companies that "outbehave" their competitors ethically will also tend to outperform them financially.

If you think it's a joke, "more than 400 companies, including Pfizer, Wal-Mart, and Procter & Gamble, have hired Seidman's firm, LRN, to analyze their corporate cultures, rewrite their codes of conduct, and give ethical-compliance training to their employees."

It's no joke.

The world has changed, Seidman argues, and winner-take-all strategies are obsolete. He contends that the rise of information technology has made good behavior more important because it has become increasingly hard to hide bad behavior. (Ask Wall Street.)

To be a better me. To be a better leader. To be a better corporation.

Can make you more profitable. Trust me.

Post by Kevin W. Grossman (join me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn - and now join HRmarketer on Twitter!)

Have you ever had to put up with a coworker from hell? Please share your experience with your coworker from hell.

No matter what you do, you're always wrong. Your approach to customers or projects is thoughtless and mismanaged. You lie; you cheat; you make excuses for your errors and incorrectly perform assignments. You're incompetent and uncaring. The criticism from this coworker can really wear you down - especially if the coworker has the trusting ear of people who matter.

We've been talking this week about the importance of building effective relationships with coworkers to enhance your employee relationships with customers and clients. But, sometimes, no matter what you try, you find that you have a coworker from hell. Nothing that you do, say, or report to others has any significant impact on their behavior, except in passing.

But, when you look back at your work life, the significant impact of your coworker from hell on your life, your family, your self esteem, and your job success and appreciation cannot be overemphasized. A coworker from hell can suck the life right out of you, if you allow it.

Readers are sharing their stories about their coworkers from hell and what they did about them. Check out the reader stories about their coworkers from hell.

Why don't you tell us about your coworker from hell.

_{Image Copyright Noel Hendrickson / Getty Images}

More About Coworkers From Hell

• Dealing With Difficult People at Work.
• 10 Tips: Deal With Difficult People at Work.
• How to Deal With a Bully at Work.
• How to Deal With a Negative Coworker.

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Coworker From Hell? originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 16:24:07.

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My posts this month, and even the articles highlighted in my newsletter have dwelled upon relationships a lot. This recognizes that the fundamental building block to effective work production and customer satisfaction is people who work well together.

People must be engaged in and excited about their jobs, and direct their energy and commitment to ensure happy customers. If all of their energy and work commitment is tied up in dealing with unpleasant relationships with coworkers, there is not a lot of energy left over for serving customers. Or, in a worse scenario, the negativity an employee feels about coworkers flows over into their relationship and interaction with the person they exist to serve - the customer.

Discretionary Energy Rules

There is a concept called discretionary energy. This is the energy that an employee chooses to exert in service to coworkers or customers at work - or not. An employer pays for the fundamental tasks that he hires an employee to perform. The employee's willingness to perform above and beyond the basic requirements of the job is a reflection of the employee's willingness to engage his or her discretionary energy.

As an example, Mary serves customers in a retail store. She escorts customers to a dressing room in which the customer tries on clothing. When the customer is finished, Mary puts the clothes away and brings the customer back to the floor while offering any additional assistance. An employee who is empowered, happy, and committed to her work takes the service one step further. She uses her discretionary energy to better serve the customer and to improve her employer's sales.

Mary, using her discretionary energy, asks the customer whether she can bring her an item that isn't working in another size or color. She escorts the customer to the floor and suggests additional items, that might work for the customer, based on what the customer appears to have liked already.

Mary remembers to give the customer a coupon for an upcoming sale or offers to match the prices of the sale that begins tomorrow. You can't pay people enough to remember to go the extra mile, but you can produce a work environment in which your employees will choose to exert that discretionary energy.

From an employer's point of view, the more employee discretionary energy that you can tap, the better the potential for well-served customers. You also increase your potential for happy employees. A happy employee is positively interacting with customers and coworkers and experiencing all of the work benefits that accrue as a result of these positive interactions.

_{Image Copyright Diane Diederich}

More About Tapping Discretionary Energy

• Top 10 Ideas About What Employees Want From Work.
• You Can Make Their Day: Ten Leader Tips.
• Why Managers are Key to Motivation.

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Draw Out Discretionary Energy originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Monday, February 22nd, 2010 at 13:23:13.

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In the past few weeks, the famous 1995 Newsweek article by Clifford Stoll entitled, "The Internet? Bah!" has again made an electronic loop around the Internet. In this popular article, Stoll discussed all the reasons why the Internet would FAIL to reach its overhyped potential. Many of the key examples used in the article have not only proven to be feasible online, but are thriving examples of the utility of the Internet including: e-commerce, telecommuting, and getting books & newspapers online. It is very easy to look back on this article and be dismissive of the author's viewpoints. However, I have a great deal of respect for Stoll taking a look at what he considered the essential elements of success for the Internet. Based on the progression from invention of the web to the present (1995), Stoll determined that the essential obstacles would never be overcome. As such, he logically concluded that the Internet would FAIL.  

In the early phases of the Internet, the infrastructure was being established....remember dial-up. During this time, entrepreneurs found many ways to leverage this new connectivity to improve our lives. In the employment industry, Jeff Taylor (Monster.com), Rob McGovern (CareerBuilder.com), and Dimitri Boylan (Hotjobs.com) recognized an opportunity to move job classifieds online.  Since that time, little has changed about the way companies and candidates recruit online. 

The next phase of web maturity is being called the Social Web. Companies like YouTube, Digg, Facebook, and Twitter are giving us the first glimpses into the social interaction inherent in this evolution of the web.  Once again entrepreneurs are recognizing opportunities to leverage this new social dynamic.  One of the most discussed new opportunities is the application of social media tools and functionality to recruiting, appropriately called Social Recruiting.  

Yet, there are many who believe that Social Recruiting is destined to FAIL.   Among the concerns are: unproven utility, too much work, less intimacy, culture shock, generational divide, privacy issues, legal liability, and loss of message control.  At this time, no one has figured out a solution to satisfy all parties involved.  However, to assume that solutions won't be found to these admittedly challenging issues is naive.  In fact, I would argue that the global Internet community is also desperately seeking solutions to these complex issues.  Despite these challenges, I think that the benefits of Social Recruiting for both companies and candidates are too great to ignore.  

For experienced professionals, LinkedIn has shown that candidates and companies can learn a great deal about each other through the use of data-rich online profiles. Instead of waiting for an employment opening, candidates and companies can proactively pursue each other based on their online research. Facebook and Twitter have shown that users value connecting with a network of friends, colleagues, and industry professionals.  Sharing links, viewing photos, and chatting instantly, the natural desire for humans to socially interact is being realized online.  Google Analytics has helped us to understand the value of measuring what matters, and optimizing to improve our results.  From targeted job invitations based on mutual company/candidate interest to company recommendations from trusted peers on social networks to measuring engagement and the return on investment using analytics, the current level of technology development suggests that the future of Social Recruiting is bright.  Still think Social Recruiting is destined to FAIL....why? 

-Omowale Casselle

__________________________________

About the Author: Omowale Casselle is the co-founder and CEO of mySenSay, a social recruiting community that connects college students and corporations.

Some of you have seen the movie Up in the Air. For those who haven't, George Clooney plays a corporate downsizing expert who believes that firing someone over the Internet is sort of like, well, breaking up via text message. 

It's hard to argue with his logic, especially for those of us who are most attracted to the human aspects of our Human Resources jobs. Now don’t get me wrong, I love The Jetsons just like the next 80s schoolgirl and look forward to videophones, robots and moving sidewalks. But there are some things that technology can't do. Right? Not so fast.

I recently came across two companies that are using video technology to revolutionize the HR industry in a positive way. HireVue allows companies to record one-way and two-way video interviews in a controlled environment. So before you invest time and money in on-site interviews, you can share video interviews with colleagues to screen for personality and culture fit. The result is better hires, quicker time-to-fill and lower cost. BriteTab offers similar advantages for candidates through personalized online resumes that support both video and metrics. For a free trial with BriteTab, simply enter “Tara” as your coupon code now through April 30, 2010. (Hey mom, I’m a coupon code!)

Neither company is trying to replace the face-to-face interview. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Both companies are bringing personal interaction to earlier stages of the hiring process with favorable impact on candidate selection, employee workloads and travel budgets. 

And if that's true, if video is a critical component of the future workplace, then I'm definitely not as comfortable in front of the camera as I should be. I changed my major in college--from Broadcast Journalism to Television, Radio and Film Writing--to avoid the camera. I use Skype to communicate with family in other states and shoot Flip videos of my kids horsing around, but I'm always the one behind the camera … by design. And I’m not alone. 

Amber Naslund, Director of Community for Radian 6--whom I find to be smart, outgoing and super likable--recently added this comment to her Twitter stream:

I love Amber’s attitude and plan to adopt it as my own. It's easy to condemn technology and let our fears ground us in the status quo. What is not so easy is to change, to take calculated risks and embrace innovation.

Now I won't give away the ending to "Up In The Air" but I will say that George Clooney didn't get nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Actor category by being the same person at the end as he was in the beginning. No, he doesn’t suddenly condone firing via video (and neither do I) but he does evolve and we should too. 

This will be my first time at both events and I'd love to meet up with community members (and future community members) and talk about our community and what we are doing right and what could be improved.

I know some of the attendees already but I have yet to meet many more. I am pretty easy to recognize from my picture and I'll be reaching out to everyone I can but if you catch me, make sure to say hello.

We know you'll enjoy your time in San Diego at either event. Let me or any of the ERE staff know how we can help you get the most out of the conference!

We strongly advise you not to have two Facebook profiles. When someone searches for you by name they will have no way of knowing which profile of yours to connect with, even if you name them “work” and “personal” because your contact will just choose one and you have no control over which you choose. It also creates bland blurr and confusion. If you are worried about people hijacking your wall with their spam, you can prevent your connections from posting things to YOUR wall. You can select your facebook privacy settings here. The sections you control include

• Profile Information: specify down to the individual person level who sees which kinds of your data (select "Customize" in each menu)
• Limit viewability of "Photos Tagged of You" (also under Profile tab): select "Customize" in menu (see screenshot at right)
• Search: Determine who can find you when searching. We recommend you set to "Search Visibility: Everyone" and select "create a public search listing" checkbox for maximum visibility
• Newsfeed & your Wall: Limit who sees your posts and comments, and whether you appear in social ads. When you post somethign you can even post it to just a group for example so its a great idea to set up lists of friends and give them each separate levels of access (see last bullet bellow). Also realize your Facebook applications may publish automatically unless you edit that here.
• You can also control the relative flow of content into your pages from certain friends o Use Notifications tab to be email-alerted for certain kinds of actions.
• Finally, you can use the Friends tab to set categories of friends and control the flow of information as well. E.g. create a “Colleagues” list whose members can see your basic data but not your personal photos or wall posts, etc. You could for example make it so when you post something it goes only to "Colleagues" if its a business update but your "Buddies" get to see your vacation photos, etc. I have 11 groups ranging from my high-school friends to fellow alumni of my alma matter, my Peace Corps crew, family members, and of course the VIPs I follow online.

SixDegreesfromDave was renown for passing it forward with it's Top Ten Linkedin Features. At one point, nearly 1,000 invites per person featured were sent in a single 24 hour period! In today's ever changing social media world, we make changes to reflect that evolution with emerging technologies. As of today we now start the ever more viral means of sharing best practices with a series of TOP TEN TWITTER for the staffing industry. We will feature people I know first hand, respect, and genuinely believe are making a difference in our industry as practitioners, innovators and Thought Leaders. This is by NO means a random listing series. Our listings are always carefully reviewed and vetted by prior contributions. We begin our first in a series featuring the Sourcing Apprentice program made famous by Shally Steckerl's Mentor Program.

So today, Talent Oyster - North America's first job board in 11 languages simultaneously - reported the results of their first 'diversity recruiting' survey.

The bad news?  44% said that their biggest challenge in diversity recruiting is that they simply don't know where to look.  If they needed, say, 10 Arabic-speaking mining engineers for a project in northern Alberta that's starting in 3 weeks, they wouldn't know how to target and reach the Arabic-speaking community - at least not at short notice.

The good news?  71% of Canadian recruiting/HR professionals said their organizations would be increasing diversity hiring initiatives in 2010.  More than 40% said that diversity recruiting/hiring was one of their organization's top priorities for this year.

The really good news?  Statistics Canada predicts that by 2031, at least one in four Canadians will have been born outside Canada - the term 'visible minority' may become obsolete in the new mainstream.  

I think this is great:  Maybe, 5 or 10 or 20 years from now, the term 'diversity candidates' will also be obsolete, and we can just talk about 'candidates', regardless of their country of origin, language, or faith.

From OnlineRecruitingNews.com

A recurrent theme in blog posts and Tweets is that job boards are dying. Usually this is coupled with a prediction that they’ll be replaced by social media or Google. The popularity of this subject, in turn, spawns two questions:

1. Why is this such a popular topic?
2. Are job boards really dying?

Why is this such a popular topic?

The assertion that job boards are dying is not a new one. For example, Simon Meth considered the subject in late 2006 (but decided the reports of their death were premature). More recently, Tom Davenport talked about the nature of large, successful companies like Monster to lose touch with their market.

Why is this such an evergreen subject? Here are several potential reasons:

1. Job boards cost money: Recruiters and HR staff are always short of funding – and job boards have grown more expensive over the years.
2. Job boards haven’t changed: Look at a job site from 1995, and compare it to current sites. In most cases, you won’t see significant differences in functionality or services. Most job boards make their living selling job postings and resume access – just like they did 15 years ago.
3. Where’s the ROI?: Job boards haven’t consistently shown HR what their return on investment is – and because of that lack of data, HR assumes the numbers are poor.
4. The big boards dominate the discussion: When a writer complains about job board, he or she almost always means Monster, CareerBuilder, or HotJobs. Never mind about the other 100,000 sites out there – the venom is reserved for the
   big sites.

Depending on the writer’s experience and bias, any of these four can provide fodder for an article – and the topic always generates interest, because almost everyone (employer and job seeker alike) has had some type of experience with a job board. Strong feelings, legitimate gripes, and a big audience means that this topic will pop up, over and over.

Are job boards really dying?

But are job boards really dying? And if so, when will they be gone? What will replace them?

If job boards are dying, their share of the recruitment market should be shrinking. However, according to the latest Sources of Hire report from CareerXroads, job boards have increased their percentage over the past five years, to 13.2% in 2009. (The leading source, by the way, continues to be referrals, at 26.7%).

Another way to look at the industry’s health is in the numbers of job boards. Are there more, or fewer, than five years ago? Again, numbers have grown, to an estimated 100,000 job sites at present. As with any business sector, some of these will fail – but enough remain, and enough new
ones are launched each year, to make the job board industry an expanding one.

It is true that the era of rapid financial growth appears over, simply because the recruitment world has completed the switch from print-based methods to online methods. Future growth has to come at the expense of other recruitment sources, such as referrals or company career sites.

In fact, what seems most likely is that job boards will continue to evolve, incorporating aspects of social media to improve recruitment results, improving reporting, and integrating their offerings more deeply into company career sites. Job sites that fail to evolve will eventually fail to survive – so you could accurately argue that those sites will ‘die’. But the remaining 100,000 or so will continue to fill their vital role in the overall recruitment cycle.

Most employees spend their days trying to keep up with the information that's thrown at them. They check e-mail on vacation to avoid returning to an overflowing inbox, scan several blogs and maybe even read a newspaper. And then there are the meetings, hallway discussions and every other interaction.

It's no secret that employees are drowning in information and that the cause stretches beyond the usual suspects.

If you merely take control of your inbox, you won't solve the information overload problem. Instead, you need to fundamentally change how you do your job. For corporate recruiters, accustomed to decades of habit shaped by our profession (and its tendency toward the status quo), this may prove difficult, but the benefits of progress will undoubtedly be substantial.

For corporate recruiters, the most vexing source of information overload is likely to come from an area foreign to other professions: resume volume. Now that candidates can find you through job boards, corporate websites and social media channels, the inbound information associated with every open req has expanded substantially and will continue to do so exponentially for the foreseeable future.

So, how do you sift through this resume overload to find the talent pools that matter most to you?

KGTiger's STREAM service protects you from information overload. Our team sifts through the mountains of resumes submitted for every open position, ensuring that you swim in a rich, deep talent pool, rather than drown in a large one.

Work with KGTiger, and you can recapture the 25 percent of your workday that is typically lost to information overload - that's an ROI you'll notice!

Green jobs are growing substantially according to several recent studies. Now a new job search engine called Green Job Spider, aims to aggregate those jobs as the 'Google for green jobs'. With more than 50 green job boards currently scattered across the web, job seekers are having a hard time finding and applying to this fast growing job market. Green Job Spider will enable them to search for these jobs under one interface. The site will also help green candidates learn about the types of green jobs and where they are through its blog and podcast.

The job search engine will be one of the first of its kind to focus exclusively on a specific niche. To date, most of these job search sites focus on all types of jobs nationwide but Green Job Spider will offer a more targeted experience for those who want a green job. Its crawler will index for jobs from solar to wind to biofuels. Job listings will be indexed nightly and all sources of green jobs will be hand selected to ensure quality.

“The time is right for a service of this kind” says Chris Russell, the site’s founder. “Green jobs are growing and the current method of finding them is too fragmented”. Russell is a ten year veteran of the online job search space. His company, AllCountyJobs.com LLC, is a well established player in the niche job board business.

Green Job Spider will also target green employers and recruiting firms who have jobs online. Listings can be indexed through an XML feed or spidered via web page. Pricing will consist of a flat monthly subscription fee with unlimited clicks. At launch it currently indexes about a dozen green job sources. Efforts are underway to index the remaining green job boards.

The site is powered by job board software provider, JobMount.

Currently in BETA the site is located at http://www.greenjobspider.com/ Green Job Spider is a division of AllCountyJobs.com LLC.