I read a post on Seth Godin’s blog today that really struck a chord.  Perhaps because the advice so closely aligns with my own philosophy – perhaps because it was short… either way, it’s great and you should take a look!

“The difference between hiring and recruiting”

Essentially, the point is made that hiring is more of a call for applicants.  People find your posting, they apply, you interview… eventually hire.

Recruiting, on the other hand, is about attracting a person to a role based on how great the position is.  Creating a need in the candidate that can only be filled once the person takes the necessary step of applying and, hopefully, is hired.

I guess the question I’m left with is “How?”.

Creating A Job That Attracts

I’m not a job description expert by any means… but, I have learned a few things about recruiting a person based on their emotional  and logical responses to a role.

If I had to sit down and write a job description to accomplish this task, I would probably consider some of the following.

1. Description Vs. Painting – Are you just listing the duties of the role OR are you painting a picture?  Think about what makes this position amazing for the ideal target candidate.  If it doesn’t inspire at least AWE on a scale of A to AWESOME, you might want to reconsider your description before chucking it out to the world.  Take a few more minutes at least.
2. Emotion Vs. Logic – People consider changing their jobs for many reasons.  However, most of these reasons fall into either logical or emotional categories – some both.  While financial gain may be a logical reason, the ability to send ones children to a better daycare is, more than likely, emotional.  Look at the offered job as a job seeker.  Why would you consider it?  Why not?  Does it excite you?  If not… why would it excite your target?  Does the position give the candidate logical reasons to consider?  What do you want them to tell their spouse before risking it all on this new role?  Think about it.
3. Aim For A Smile – Humor has a way of creating a positive emotional connection with the things around us.  Consider including some humor in your job description before posting it.  “We are the leader in X, Y and Z… and, oh yeah, we have some pretty amazing fresh coffee in the break room!”  A smile creates an emotion, an emotion creates a feeling, a feeling creates a connection.  If you establish a connection with the person you are recruiting, it’s much more likely that you will have both candid and meaningful conversations with them.
4. Keep It Short – I know what you are thinking… “Job seekers will want to know all the details before applying for a job.”  I disagree.  Treat the description as a marketing campaign.  Would you want to learn more based on what you read?  Would you tell a friend about the position based on how interesting it is?  If so, you are on the right track.  Keep it short, simple and as enticing as possible.  In an age of ADD, let Twitter‘s 140 character limit inspire you!  Less is more (as long as it’s meaningful!).

I like what Seth had to say on the topic because it promotes the necessary delineation in recruiting.  If we fail to see that the two acts (hiring vs. recruiting) are essentially different, we will fail to ultimately attract the variety necessary to make a solid hiring decision.  Don’t you want the best possible person for the role?  Would 10 more minutes of thought behind the position be worth attracting a better suited candidate?

What have you done to spice up your job descriptions before shotgunning them across the internet?  Any best practices?

Have you seen a company that has pulled this off well?  If so, share what you’ve found!

Photo Credit, drcorneilus

Earlier today, during my daily digestion of social media, I landed on a blog post written in May 2008.  The article, 10 Ways Generation Y Will Change the Workforce, was interesting, but more interesting were the 63 comments that followed.  It sparked my interest in all generations and their stereotypes, not just Gen Y.

Name that Generation:

“Wow. This article shows the valid reasons why Gen-Y thinks they are so awesome. They have entitlement issues. What this article says is, “Gen Y is here! We don’t want to work hard, but we wants lots of vacation time and high salaries for no reason other then we think we deserve them!” Maybe the parents of these morons needed to beat them more to make them realize life isn’t fair and you have to work for what you want. Again, wow. …”

“Great post! I can definitely agree with that and have already started to use these strategies with my own work habits, especially with how long I work ”

“This is exactly what is wrong with America! We need to start the idea of working our way up, and fighting for what’s right for the company. All you get now-a-days is degreed kids with no common sense. This country is screwed! You think I’M bitter? There’s more out there worse that me.”

Falling into Stereotypes

The comments were exactly what I would have predicted them to be.  Boomers seem extremely critical because “business doesn’t change.” Gen X… cynical of this optimistic and “delusional” generation while Gen Y passionately agreed and defended his view.

Isn’t it interesting how the comments fall right into the stereotype of each generation?

It’s hard to fight against a stereotype when you are faced with others that live it. It’s no longer a battle of generations or people – it is a battle of stereotypes.

The sad part is that each contributor was too caught up in the perceived stereotype of the other to allow any real interaction or meaningful conversation to occur.

Two Sides of the Coin

When I think about Gen Y, I feel there are two different categories my generation falls into.

The first falls into its stereotype.  This group graduates college expecting a job (a high paying one at that) solely because they have a degree.  It doesn’t matter if they have had real job experience, or even a degree in that specific field.

They DO have that piece of paper … so, don’t they deserve a job?

The second, I feel, is most affected by the stereotypes imposed on Gen Y as well as by their “entitled” counterparts. Typically, these are the ones who discovered their passion and became involved (internships, student clubs, etc…).  These are also the workers that request feedback with the end goal of higher performance and additional benefit to their organizations – not just a pat on the back.

They understand the value of going above and beyond, getting involved in different departments and facets of the business and getting their hands dirty at times.  They recognize that they want to work at an organization that rewards those efforts.

These are the products of Gen Y that feel the backlash of the stereotypes and the contributors that Corporate America should strive to protect.

Generational Ambassadors

Feeling this way about my generation, it’s easier for me to understand that all generations have these differences.  Gen X is not just a group of grunge wearing cynics and the baby boomers are not all in denial. But, these stereotypes still exist and they are very real.

It seems the most vocal generational brand ambassadors are those that, unfortunately, live their stereotypes.  Can’t we all just get along?

How do you brand your generation?

Photo Credit, Ben Garney

You are probably more capable than any one particular task that you have been assigned at work – may your career always bless you with the promise of growth.  Imagine the alternative.

Pay Your Dues

For the record, I am a product of Gen Y… perhaps an earlier product of it, but Gen Y nonetheless.

It’s come to my attention, through the thousands of publications that have dissected this issue, that we have a certain sense of entitlement.

We like to move up quickly and gain rewards based on our performance.  However, we also tend to get frustrated easily when presented with too much red tape or individuals who would seek to slow our progression.

As with most anything, this can be viewed as a strength or a weakness.

As a group, I think we need to STOP and consider some essential pieces of career development.

Take a step back for a moment and realize that while a career should be interesting and engaging, the individual tasks that come together to make up our “job” are not always going to inspire us.  Sometimes, you are going to have to run through some mud in order to get to higher ground – there is good reason for this.

Earn Your Role

When I started in the Staffing Industry, I was an Office Assistant.  The funny part about it was that my to-be boss wasn’t entirely sure if I could be a recruiter because I was too quiet.

I took the role with enthusiasm.  I learned about the business from the ground up.  From data-entry, holiday party planning, job fair coordination… setting out snacks for candidates as they came in – I went through the proverbial mud.  I learned a ton about the business from that perspective and I’m grateful for having been placed in the role.

Four promotions and 2.5 years later, I was running a branch office that did over $4M a year in annual revenue.  I had five recruiters and an Office Assistant to boot!  I worked my tail off to earn that role and, I can assure you, at no point in that process did I ever turn my nose up at special projects.  To the contrary, I got involved with everything I possibly could.  I learned about financials, recruiting models, interviewing strategies, management methodology, retention planning for major accounts, sales… the list goes on.

Each skill and knowledge set was learned only by going through a bit of discomfort and, on many occasions, performing tasks that didn’t immediately seem to be applicable.

The End Result of Mud-Running

If I hadn’t planned the party, pounded out the data-entry, organized the cookies and put up with menial tasks, it would have been much harder for me to understand what I was asking from my subordinates when they were tasked with those items.  While I may have been capable of managing the team, it would have been much more challenging to lead them.

There is value in engaging with alternative tasks at work.

Have you ever worked for someone that didn’t understand your role or what you had to do in order to perform your essential job functions?  Wasn’t it frustrating?

Have you ever engaged in a project (menial or not) that didn’t immediately seem applicable… only to have it change your career?

I don’t proclaim to have all the answers (or even a small portion of them) to the meaning of “career success.”  This is something that will ultimately be unique to each person.

My only advice is to search for value in your daily routine and consider how these lessons may translate into a better understanding going forward.

Photo Credit, Photos8.com

It wasn’t long ago when the playing field for finding a job was relatively simple.  For the most part (and I’m sure you can add a few), it consisted of the following:

• Resume – Make sure you check the spelling, the formatting is clean and the content is easy to follow.
• Interviewing Skills – You had to make sure that you could answer questions and keep your nerves under control.
• Professional Attire/Appearance – Clean suit, clean nails, no “I drank a keg of beer last night” eyes… you get the idea.
• Networking – Asking around and going to networking meetings to find potential contacts.
• Job Search – This had a lot to do with job boards and newspapers… posting resumes and searching for potential roles.

Nowadays, it’s a bit more complex to find a job.  Most of the “necessities” listed above continue to be true.  However, for someone who is really hungry to find a position, they are going to have to reinvent the way they handle both the Networking and Job Search approaches for finding their next role.  The great news is that keeping pace with the job search world also builds your resume…

Let’s consider some of these new areas and what a job seeker can do about it.

Social Media In Job Search

Facebook

• Spend some time completing your personal profile.  What you do, what you like… give your connections something to get interested in.
• Join some of the thousands (perhaps more) groups you will have to pick from on Facebook that relate to your career field.
• If you can identify causes, non-profits or fun initiatives that are of interest… do that too!  You never know who you’ll meet!
• If you really feel adventurous, consider a Social Ad campaign targeted at your ideal hiring managers.

Twitter

• If you still give a blank stare when someone mentions Twitter… go review the tutorial I put together for SHRM.
• Learn the concepts of Hashtags, @replies, Lists and ReTweets (RTs).
• Play around with tools like Twubs and TweetDeck… they will make your “Twitter Life” easier – I promise!
• Start attending TweetUps in your local area… or put one together!  They are the Nouveau Networking and a lot of fun!

LinkedIn

• Put the time, energy and effort into making this profile as professional and interesting as possible.
• For some companies, this has become the main (in some cases the only) way that they are finding candidates.
• Connect and join professional groups and get involved in the conversation.
• Answer polls and questions thrown out by strangers.
• Use the tool to study companies of interest.
• Look for past colleagues and start to rebuild your network… forget the Rolodex – LinkedIn will help you there!

Blogging

• I know it seems out there… but, it sure makes it easier to show what you know if you can blog about it somewhere.
• Great way to start or engage in conversations… share a link to a blog post that you wrote.
• Employers find people in a variety of ways – if they find you because you know what you’re talking about, that can only be to your benefit.
• It’s fun… that’s right, FUN!  Job search can be a drag sometimes, so mix it up and share a bit.  Who knows who you can help with what you already know.

YouTube

• It never hurts to introduce yourself first… so, why not make a video doing just that.  If you already started your blog, it could actually be a post with an embedded video!
• Explain your career field of choice, your ideal role, what inspires you… be yourself.
• YouTube is a massive search engine at this point… your video may show up the next time someone Googles your skill set.
• If you are tired of being judged simply based off of your resume… think about including your YouTube video link on your resume.

What exactly are we going to do about it?

I hate to see good people in the job market who don’t know what to do next.  There are some fantastic candidates who are absolutely lost with their efforts at this point.  This situation, in and of itself, creates a pretty substantial divide between those who are “in the know” and those who are not.  So, I just hope that we can help and as a result allow the best candidate to secure the job!

The list above is not meant to solve all of your job search problems, but hopefully it will get you started.  By the nature of technology, the person who this post was written for will probably come across it via email or through searching on Google.  If you found this due to Twitter or Facebook, you are probably already on board – consider helping a friend that has yet to take the leap and forward this posting to them.

What other techniques, methods or technologies would you recommend for someone who has yet to jump into social media job search world?  Your advice matters

Photo Credit, striatic

In a recent conversation with an HR friend, we began discussing the absurdity of the question “What’s your biggest weakness?” (WYBW).  Before you start nodding your head in disagreement, simply hear me out.

It’s overused, it’s nearly pointless AND the responses reek of BS.

So, in a burst of spastic defiance, we put together a short list of what to avoid when faced with this question.

10 Ways Not to Respond to WYBW

1. I’m a perfectionist – Liar.
2. I work too much – Of course you do…
3. I’m too emotionally engaged – Don’t worry, we stock extra Kleenex for people like you.
4. I put too much on my plate – You’re hired!
5. I always try to include everyone – AKA King Water Cooler
6. Gee, I can’t really think of any right now – Liar
7. I take work too seriously – Guess we can’t put your stapler in JELLO
8. Can we come back to that question? – Procrastination…?
9. I’m too much of a team player – Whatever, you think-for-yourselfer
10. I’m too opinionated – We’ll give HR the heads up!

Truth be told, despite our mocking of this question, it will not disappear anytime soon.  It has been and will continue to be, a tough question for job seekers to answer.

So, for what it’s worth here is my advice to both interviewers and interviewees:

Interviewees: The question really should be “What is an area of improvement you are currently working at and how?” Anything less than a solution-oriented answer to this question will fall short.

Example:

Q: What’s your biggest weakness?

A: I’m nervous speaking in front of large groups.  Six months ago, I enrolled in ToastMasters in order to improve my public speaking skills and calm my nerves when placed in these situations. I feel I am making great progress.

Interviewer:

If you can’t stop asking this question, than at least recognize it is difficult to answer.  Deliver the question with a smile and make sure you’ve done your work upfront to calm the candidate’s nerves so that they feel comfortable answering you candidly.

Questions in the interview process are worthless unless you are going to get a real response.  I’ve always found it useful to start the interviews with questions that are both easy to answer and allow the candidates to be completely themselves.  If you have yet to develop a series of questions for your repertoire that aim at this goal, I would encourage you to start there.

What’s your biggest weakness?

Photo Credit, Eleaf

Life has been a bit hectic lately.  Between travel, projects and a few life adjustments, it’s been challenging to blog.

With that said, there have been a few noteworthy events of late that I’ve neglected.

Dream Job Radio

In my last post, I shared a video of Stephanie Lloyd’s new radio show Dream Job Radio.  She invited me to visit her in Atlanta to be a part of her first official episode.  Needless to say, we had a great time!

The topic for the program was to brainstorm with a job seeker on how he could branch out further in his search.

What’s the best job search tip you’ve come up with in the past year?  Care to share?

Red Shoe Project Atlanta – TweetUp

After the radio show, we headed over to Fuego Mundo to have the first Red Shoe Project TweetUp in Atlanta.  Excellent food, lots of friendly red-shoe-wearing social media friends… and, YES, I broke out the guitar for a few songs

Red Shoe Project continues to gain momentum – soon we will have to put together a TweetUp in San Antonio!

TweetCamp Chicago

After Atlanta, it was time to take on the cold weather in Chicago!  I must admit, my blood is much thinner than it used to be.

TweetCamp Chicago was organized by Maura Hernandez after she visited TweetCamp San Antonio earlier this year.  The aim of TweetCamp is to educate a diverse group of business professionals on how Twitter can be used to improve their networks, increase exposure and connect with targeted clients.

Excellent job Maura!  Special thanks to Rackspace for sponsoring my trip!

In the next couple of months, I will be getting involved with more than a few events!  I’ll do my best to keep you updated with the fun!

Any particular events you want to see covered in the next few months?

Had an excellent day here in Atlanta with Stephanie Lloyd from Radiant Veracity!  She had invited me to come out to join her for the official launch of Dream Job Radio, a program dedicated to career and workplace exploration!  Here is a video from today!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxV2NEUnjfk

February, 1996 - Guatemala - Day of Tecun Uman

When I was 15, my cousin Sasha came back from a year-long exchange in Australia.  Over the course of countless conversations, she convinced me that becoming an exchange student would be great for my future.  I’d learn a new language, a new culture, get to spend my entire Junior year abroad… not to mention the fulfillment of a serious travel bug.

So, a few months later, I started the process.  Rotary International was not a simple process at the time.  I competed against multiple candidates for the role.  Officials visited my home, grilled me on concepts of adaptability and change… they even had me write essays (yuck!).  I did it though.  I went through the seemingly long process and was very happy when I found out that I had been selected.

Over the following year, I attended multiple weekend retreats to learn about diversity, cultural norms and a whole bunch of other survival tactics for living abroad (without parents) as a teenager.  I must admit, there were more than a few moments when I questioned what I had gotten myself in to.  Let’s face it… life would have been simpler just going through the motions.  I didn’t have to put myself through this mess of study and anticipation.  Fortunately, my curiosity spurred me on.

The biggest day of this year-long process was when we finally got to put in our country selections.  We had to pick out three countries that we would want to move to.  This is no small or simple commitment for a (at that point) 16 year old.  I chose Guatemala as my first pick.

I had apparently swallowed a “daring” pill that morning…  It was only the second year that exchange students had been allowed to go to Guatemala.  With the first democratic elections in some time on the horizon, it seemed like a real adventure.  Would that ever prove to be the case!

Finding Faith In Job Search

No one ever said it was going to be easy to find that next position.  To the contrary, and especially in our current economic climate, it can be really tough.  The sought after clear path is often clouded by all of the unknown factors.  It’s your job to push forward… so, pick up that machete and carve out a path.  Know what you want, need, desire… and especially consider what you are naturally great at!

The next step is being vocal.  Doors are much more likely to open when you knock… so, start knocking.

This does not mean that you send in a resume and hope for the best – that’s old school!  Think outside the box a bit.  Go target five people on Twitter, five LinkedIn group members… perhaps consider making cold calls to people that you don’t know.  You don’t have to ask for a job… ask for advice.

One of the greatest ways to move forward in your job search is to explore opportunities.  Notice, I didn’t say commit – simply explore!  If you know what you like/dislike and what you are naturally good at… it’s pretty easy to call someone up and say, “Hi!  My name is (your name).  I came across your name as a great resource and I was hoping to get your advice.”

At this moment… one of two things will happen.

1. I’m busy… *click*
2. Sure!  How can I help you?

Assuming you hit a #2 as opposed to the “busy” person… now is your chance.  Present your situation with clarity and ask the person for their professional advice.  It could go something like this:

“Thank you so much!  I’m currently at a point of transition in my career and I was hoping to get some guidance from you.  I’m passionate about (Fill in three things you are great at) and I would really love to dedicate my skills to an organization that embraces (Fill in two likes/workplace values).  Do you have any ideas around how or where my talents would be best suited?”

At this point… SHUT YOUR MOUTH!  Just wait for a response.

One of two things will more than likely occur:

1. “I’m sorry, I don’t have any ideas for you.”
2. “You should check in to (potential opportunity).”

It’s okay if they don’t have any ideas for you.  Be polite, ask if they would mind keeping your contact info should something occur to them and move on.

If they give you an opportunity to pursue, be thankful!  Ask for their email or perhaps consider a hand written note (this is a nice touch).  Put them on your rapidly developing list of professional contacts and pursue the opportunity they presented… even if it doesn’t at first seem like a fit.  You never know!

Most people have an inner desire to be useful.  So, consider your “networking” as an opportunity to fulfill that person’s need to help and an opportunity for you to pursue the unknown that could lead to your next opportunity!

The unknown is a scary place until you get comfortable visiting.  After a while your mind and nerves will settle in with the idea that visiting places and pursuing new experiences will often lead to good things.

So, think Guatemala… be brave… pursue that next position through the path of exploration.  You’ll be glad you did!

What other “scary” tactics have you used in the past to move your job search forward?  Anything work really well that you would like to share?

Wandering around on Facebook yesterday, I encountered a comment from Chris Brogan that stated the following:

Chris Brogan It’s weird having too many ideas. You end up having to throw them somewhere like storage, and they grow dusty. Give them all away. You’ll make more.

So, this got me thinking about the previous post on Virtual Talent Reality.  One of the challenges that I brought up was that with a decreased level of recruiters and an increased demand for talent… the prospect of recruiting through third party agencies is going to get expense – very expensive!

While Chris’ comment had nothing to do with recruiting, it has everything to do with collaboration.  As the wheels on my mental bus went round and round, I started thinking about the competitive climate that we have created in recruiting.  Why is that?  I know that agencies like to make money and I know that companies like to attract and hire the best people… but why aren’t we helping each other more?

There are a ton of holes in the plan I’m about to present, but I think that it’s possible on some level.  Yes, the kinks will need to be worked out… but, just go with it for a minute.

Let’s start with the challenge again:

Fewer Recruiters + Higher Recruiting Demand = Higher Fees = Expensive Strategy

Instead of living in our little secret recruiting worlds, what if corporate recruiting departments were to partner up.  What if they were to join forces with other companies in order to filter through the talent.  There are some candidate confidentiality concerns with this, but I’m sure it can be dealt with if the companies approach this with a high level of transparency.

Think about this:

• ATS Systems allow companies to connect their talent databases.
• Companies want to hire skilled candidates that want to work for them… if the recruiting partners both want a candidate, it can still be left to a candidate to make the right decision for them.  Did I mention “transparency”?
• Companies, working collectively, could negotiate better rates for everything from job boards to job fairs to ATS Systems.

Some challenges that could come up:

• Ensuring that candidates realize they are applying to a central database.
• Creating a channel where the candidate can confidentially apply to one company (needs to exist).
• Figuring out the distribution of financial obligations based on volume of recruiting.

Collaborative Vs. Competitive Recruiting

I can understand how some companies would look at this and say… that’s crazy!  I get it – it’s a bit out there.  But, consider the amount of money that could be saved, the increased access to desirable candidates and the ability to collectively create better recruiting processes.

We don’t need to fight over talent… we need to figure out how we can best serve talent.  Ensuring that candidates are choosing the right position will have an immediate impact on your employment branding and retention.

Just an idea…

What do you think we can do with this?  How can we collaborate instead of compete in the recruiting space?

Photo Credit, Rennett Stowe

This is more of a question than an opinion…

How many organizations are currently living in a false reality when it comes to talent?

Sure… they may currently have access to stellar talent due to the economic climate… but have they prepared for recovery.  Have they prepared for a potential talent exodus?  What happens when the talent pool realizes that they have spent the past 2-3 years underpaid and under appreciated?  What happens then?

I would normally recommend the use of agencies to help fill the gaps… but, there are two problems with this…

First, a whole lot of third-party and corporate recruiters left the industry during the downturn.  They’ve moved on.  Perhaps they can be attracted back… but, it will take time.  The second question is expense.  Reactive recruiting (often the type of recruiting agencies get called to help with) gets very expensive.  With higher demand and fewer third party providers, that will drive prices up.  This isn’t going to be cheap.

So, what’s the solution?

I don’t know how to fix this issue overnight, but if I were a betting man, I would put my money on paying close attention to your current employees’ needs, wants and desires.  There may still be a chance to make things right.

Oh, and if you are the type that sits back and says “Well… I gave them a job!” – you’ve lost your mind.  You are probably the same person that thinks it’s okay to treat employees as numbers instead of as human beings.  Good luck to you when the economy recovers… your people will be more than willing to speak with recruiters about how green the grass really is on the other side.

So… who knows?  What’s the solution?  What steps should employers be taking now to improve their internal employement branding?  What would you like to see more of?  Less of?

Your thoughts are valuable!  Thanks for sharing

Photo Credit, Scumfrog