This has been a tough year on a lot of people!

Businesses closing, people losing their jobs… more than a few dreams crushed in the process – plans shifted to the back burner.  I know that the recruiting industry has thinned out substantially, and I’m sure the same is happening in many other realms of work.

When I look back on my life thus far, the biggest failures really had everything to do with my thinking.  I’d get down… frustrated… I’d embrace a sense of defeat.  In retrospect, it was very counterproductive.  My life never improved when my thoughts were focused on the negative aspects of my circumstances.

So, where is the light at the end of this tunnel?  How can we regain focus and purpose in order to see it through to the better times?

Plan Your Thinking

Emotions are hard to control.  The whole idea that you can just “think positive” is a load of (insert desired text)!  Close your eyes, imagine the good, focus on the positive things… whatever!

If you want to feel good again and gain control of your mind, develop a plan.  Develop a strategy around accomplishing your goals.  Do yourself the favor of having a strategy and act on it.  My old boss would always say, “Fail to plan, plan to fail.”  He was right.  Now that I own my own businesses, I see the importance of this every single day…

So, why don’t more people take their emotions back by planning?  Well, I can’t speak for everyone, but I would usually hold off from planning for two reasons.  First, my fear of commiting to the plan.  What if something changes?  What if I can’t accomplish it?  What if my idea is useless?  Second… I didn’t like the way that others wanted me to plan.  Use this spreadsheet, fill out this multi-tier worksheet, put together this 100 page plan… I’m way too ADD for that stuff!  So, I wouldn’t do it.

Mentally mapping out your plans is good, but writing things down will provide more structure.  I agree with that, but I didn’t want to do it the same ol’ way… the expert planning way.

Towards the first part of the year, I was working with Alicia Arenas on the organization of SMACK Social Media, a training curriculum that we put together for people in San Antonio.  Alicia showed up to the first day of our planning with this big drawing pad.  In the center she wrote “SMACK Social Media” and drew a circle around it.  What followed involved the addition of many circles and connecting lines… everything leading to an idea, project or task.  What resulted was a great way to see the vision, plan and path to execution.  What seemed overwhelming, suddenly made more sense in my mind.  She called this process mind-mapping.

Here is a “mind map” for my business so that you can see it in action.

Planning as a Method For Coping

So, you may be asking… what the hell is this guy getting to?  Good question!

My point is simple.  The world is complex right now for many people… perhaps you.  I’ve been there and I know how it feels.  I’ve adopted a method for organizing my thoughts (thanks to Alicia!) that has drastically changed my ability to reach my goals and envision the future.

I don’t care if you are mind-mapping your scrapbooking plans or your professional development path… it works for almost anything.  If you have a pen and a notepad, you can start taking control of your mind.  With your mind in check and a plan in place, you are much more likely to adjust your thinking towards progress and leave the realm of negativity behind.  Just keep pushing!

Give it a shot, don’t give it a shot… the choice is yours.  Just thought I would share what works for me.

So, how do you stay positive?  Do you have a ritual?  Do you plan?  Endulge us with your secret sauce!

The last year of my life has been a fun adventure!  I’ve met great people, learned a ton about myself and have been given opportunities to work on some very exciting projects.  In addition to recruiting, I work with clients that want to enter the realm of social media with their businesses.

It’s become apparent that a few ground rules are vital for any business that wants to venture in to this realm.  I’m no expert, but this is what I’ve learned works with any clients that I engage with.  In fact, this is a requisite for any client that I will work with.

Perhaps, as you evaluate your involvement, these will serve as some good points to think about.

Five Traits of a Great Social Media Client

• Creativity – If you are looking to do the same boring thing that everyone else has already done… don’t spend the money on implementing social media.  It probably won’t work.
• Candidness – Are you the type of person that can laugh at yourself?  Can you deal with criticism?  Are you confident enough to be yourself openly?  There are few secrets in social media.  Are you okay with that?
• Accountability – You WILL be held accountable online.  Are you prepared to deal with a disgruntled customer in an open forum?  This can be a huge plus for your business or an absolute disaster if you don’t do it right.
• Passion – Are you proud of what you do?  Do you have a true passion for your business?  If you don’t, social media is not where you belong.  Hide under a rock… or, better yet, do something else that you like!
• Time – Social Media takes time.  A solid strategy and implementation should replace other tasks that you are currently performing.  This can work out great if you are using the tools correctly.  However, if you are not going to take the time to learn the tools, execute consistently with them AND (most importantly) invest time into the new relationships that you establish, you are wasting valuable resources.  Think about this one!

Spahn Law Firm

I was very happy to start working with an awesome legal firm here in San Antonio.  First, they filled all of the requisites above… but, in addition to that, they are just excellent people!  Matt Spahn, the Founder, wanted to communicate that his firm is not your average law shop.  To the contrary, they are easy going, down-to-earth, funny… and, on top of that, they know what the heck they are doing!  Fantastic client!

I finished up Matt’s first video today.  As you will see, Matt is willing to step outside of the box (way outside!), be candid, openly express his commitments to his clients, show passion… and, of course, he has commited the time to following through.

So, I’ve been having fun with this one!  Here is the video that we released today.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnQbgh-LsqI

My challenge to you is this.

Do something brave.  Step outside the norm.  Express your brand and be willing to show your true self.  You’ll be happier, your clients will get to know you and, ultimately, you will have some fun with what you have dedicated your professional efforts to.

Have I lost my mind?  Are we all supposed to stay in little boxes?  What’s your favorite “outside the box” effort you have seen from a company?

The future seems like a fun place.  We will never have to lose contact with our friends again, we will travel freely knowing that we can handle everything from our portable super computers… it’s going to be great!  Think of all the possibilities!

I sure do hope we end up with Hover Boards.

As my mind wanders into the future, I’m left wondering how recruiters fit into that picture.  I’m not a doomsday “recruiting is a dying art” kind of guy… but, let’s face it, we have our work cut out for us.

With the rapid progression of technology, it’s no longer going to be a matter of who can find candidates – finding names and targets will all be automated sooner than later.

So, what will the Recruiter of 2025 need to have in order to stand out?  I’m guessing it will have most everything to do with soft skills.

5 Skills For Future Recruiters

1.  Approachability – Can you start a conversation with a stranger about almost anything?  Do people respond to you without knowing you?  Do you feel comfortable smiling at someone that you don’t know?

If you answered “No” to these questions, start working on it.  I know it’s tough at first, but being approachable goes a long way in recruiting (and life for that matter).  You never know who you are going to meet.  That perfect candidate may be standing behind you in the coffee line… so say hello!

2.  Body Language Sensitivity – Yes, you’ve heard about non-verbal communication a million times… but, few people actually trust their instincts.  Do you?  Can someone lie to your face?  Will you notice it?

Some people can read a lie in an instant through observing micro-expressions – kind of like in the show “Lie To Me” – which is a great show for recruiters and interviewing!  The key, as I understand it, is in noticing when someone’s facial expression or body language goes against their verbal/outward message.  If you ask someone, “Did you leave your last position on good terms?” and they respond with a “Yes” but carry a slight hesitation on their face… ask more.  Dig deeper.

For years I’ve been fascinated by this topic.  Once you start to get it, you will see it as a blessing and as a curse.  However, for recruiters, this skill is invaluable!  Observe how people move, react and respond.  Trust your instincts as much as possible and let them lead your questions.  You are going to be surprised with what you find out.

3.  Vocal Sensitivity – We’ve all heard the phrase… “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.”  This is very true and we need to consider how we convey our message.  But, on the flip side, we also need to be in tune with our natural ability to perceive when something is wrong.

As with most recruiters, I’m on the phone for the majority of the day.  Interviewing people, sourcing candidates, chatting with clients… they all become a standard part of our activities.

When a candidate says that they are not interested in making a move… do you stop?  You shouldn’t.  Ask them to explain why they are happy.  Then listen to the words… but, more importantly, listen to their tone and for any pauses in what they are telling you.  If you find one, dig deeper.  If you don’t, ask another question until you do.

Speech, as with body language, has a pattern… if something doesn’t seem right, you have to find out why.  Just ask about the hesitation itself if you can’t put your finger on it… you’ll be surprised with how the conversation progresses.

4.  Empathy – The best recruiting experience I ever went through was with a recruiter who made me feel that my concerns were as important to him as they were to me.  This is easy to say… not the easiest thing to do.  This is the nurturing side to our business that requires a lot of work for some… for others, it will come naturally.  You know who you are.

So, here are some ideas for learning more about how to empathize with your candidates.  First, listen more, speak less.  Just take in as much as possible.  Second, if someone is trusting you enough to share their emotional conflicts with making a career move, you had better be willing to show respect for that extension of trust.  Thank them for being open and honest.  Third, remove yourself from the transaction.  If you were friends with this person, what would you recommend that they do?

As recruiters, we are trusted with very sensitive information that could potentially damage someone’s livelihood.  Take it seriously and show your candidates that you care.

5.  Vision – This could also be called “Storytelling Skills” but, “Vision” seems easier.  The bottom line is this… can you paint a picture in a person’s mind?  Can you show them through words what their future looks like?  In exploring someone’s career path, it becomes vital that you share a vision of the future.  What are their next career steps, strategic moves, compensation angles, etc…

You don’t wake up one morning with the ability to convey vision.  Well, perhaps some people do… but, that was not my fortunate tale.  I had to work on it.

Read stories, listen to stories, write stories… explore, travel, meet new people.  Get exposed to things that are completely foreign.  Take so much in to your mind that you can’t take anymore.  Then, do it again.  Experience and exposure are the parents to good storytelling.  The life narratives that you are exposed to in recruiting, coupled with the life experiences that you should be pursuing, will result in a much richer experience for your candidates.  Let’s face it… given the option… wouldn’t you want your recruiter to have some perspective on the world?  So, go get it!

Recruiting 7.0 (Remember, it’s 2025)

We are all developing as professionals.  While I wish that I could claim “Master” status for all of the above skills, I cannot.  However, I aspire to be the best and I want other recruiters to do the same.  Our professional development will ultimately establish our professional reputations.  It is important that we learn the technical skills necessary to become proficient at sourcing.  However, we will ultimately be the most valuable to our organizations if we can continue to develop the skills that make us strong people-people.  To do this, we have to stay focused on our soft skills.

But hey!  I don’t have a crystal ball.  That’s why I’m blogging about this instead of contemplating it with my dog.  So, what do you think?

What skills do you think the recruiters of 2025 A.D. will need to have?

Photo Credit, Locusolus

This is a continuation from my last bit on Glassdoor, a company that has dedicated to transparency in employment through the use of a very user-friendly feedback/participation model.  There is no doubt in my mind, after having spoken with the Co-Founder, Tim Besse, that Glassdoor will make a presence in our employment lives.

So, in Part 2, I wanted to go through a bit of the Q&A with Co-Founder Tim Besse.  It was very obvious from our phone conversation that he has a lot of passion around this product… and rightfully so.  They are putting time, energy and money into making Glassdoor a healthy forum for the free-flow of salary, company review and interview information.

Exchange with Tim Besse, Co-Founder, Glassdoor.com

The first part of the interview centered around what’s going on currently with social media and how Glassdoor fits into that picture.

The vision, as I understood it from Tim, was not to simply provide a platform for people to input data and “secret” details about companies.  Rather, Glassdoor envisions an environment where employers will participate in the conversation as well.  In order to facilitate this, they offer free accounts to HR departments.  Once the HR Representative has been verified, they will have open access to comment on everything within the system.  It was obvious that Tim believes in the power of a two-way dialogue.

This is great news for HR departments who have a concern about misleading or false information being spread around the internet.  As with other social media platforms, you have the opportunity to add your thoughts/comments on anything that pertains to your organization.

Tim was also insistent that Glassdoor is not in the business of company bashing.  Glassdoor was not intended, nor will it become, an environment for bashing companies.  As you will see if you fill out a company review, you will be asked to provide both “pros” and “cons” of working for the particular company in question.  The feedback that is submitted by users is reviewed by Glassdoor before being posted to ensure that comments side more towards being constructive than simple rants about the terrible aspects of a company.  He seemed very realistic in his desire to maintain a balance in this new environment and make sure that the conversation remains healthy.

How Does Your Company Rank?

So… the piece of the interview that interested me the most was about how company rankings are different on Glassdoor than they are in the “standard” rating systems.

With this new social media environment, it becomes next to impossible for a company to hire outside consultants to teach them how to raise their rank.  At Glassdoor it’s all about keeping it simple.  Along with a user entering the “pros” and the “cons” they are also asked to rank the company’s CEO (much like a political polling venture) and complete a short ranking poll.  Questions from the ranking page ranged from “How satisfied are you with your opportunities for professional growth?” to “Employer support in balancing between work life and personal life?”

The companies that are judged end up with a cumulative score.  What’s interesting to Tim and to most anyone familiar with the other rankings, was that many of the companies making the list are not the same as what you would find in the “standard” rankings.  Check them out for yourself, but I think that you will find it to be very interesting.

A Note For Social Media

The conversation with Tim was great.  He seems like a very down-to-earth professional who has a real passion for what Glassdoor is doing.  His intent in making Glassdoor successful is loaded with the underlying desire to make the workplace better.  At the end of the day, I can only hope that more innovators will grasp this spirit and make it a reality.

Tim was kind enough to explain how Glassdoor is also trying to make their system useful for those of us that like to play around in the social media world.  Once you are logged in to the system, you will be able to copy/paste links to their website for blog postings or any other social media related sharing activity.  While a non-member will need to register if they want to look at additional information within the site, Tim pointed out that Glassdoor put in this feature to help spread the word and the free exchange of information.  I think that it’s great!

So, go check out Glassdoor at www.glassdoor.com and let me know your thoughts.  I think that you will like what you find.

Is your company ready to be judged in a very organized open forum discussion?  Do your executives know the power of social media on impacting the company brand?

Photo credit to Tambako The Jaguar

Dear Manager,

I’d like to thank you for constantly ignoring the overt signs of discontent displayed by your employees. Truly, it means the world to me that taking your key players away and delivering them on a silver platter to my clients has become so easy. Managers like you make the business of recruiting very enjoyable!

Oh yes, and before you start complaining to your manager about how the company needs to pay more or modernize their technology, I want you to know a couple of things.

First, your people don’t leave just because of money. That’s right; they actually go to work every single day for something more than filling their pocketbooks. While it sometimes has to do with a sense of accomplishment, it usually has everything to do with a little undertone I like to call company culture. And guess what, you make that their reality. Thank you.

Second, if you think that fancy bells and whistles keep your best people in place, have I ever got news for you! Once again, they would much rather work for a great boss that has their best interests in mind than for an organization that invests all of the extra capital in fancy monitors and shiny offices. Shocker, I know.

So, next time you have a key contributor on your team hand you the “To Whom It May Concern:” letter – I urge you to consider some introspection. I’m sure that your intentions are good and that you would ultimately like to keep the people that make you look like a star. Unfortunately, that will not be your reality until you start treating them like the “A” players that they are.

Of course, you don’t have to take my opinion for it. After all, my data is much less than scientific. Perhaps as an alternative, you could start asking your employees about what they want, need and desire from you as their manager. Start a fun Excel spreadsheet and share the results with your team.

Again, thank you kindly for making my professional life just a little bit easier. While I hope that you consider this note as a positive gesture, I’m sure that you will toss it away with all of the other attempts people have made to open your eyes to reality. I know that it must be hard to accept that it’s not all about you.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Looking forward,
Michael Long
The Red Recruiter

P.S. Your boss called and he would like to discuss how great he is. Hurry hurry… brownie points on the horizon!

Photo thanks to Al Bar!

I stumbled across this great post last week by Boolean Black Belt entitled “Don’t Be A Sourcing Snob“.  The creator of this blog is a highly intelligent individual who has a firm grasp on a variety of pertinent topics… I like his material so much that I subscribe to his site and make it a habit to see what he’s talking about.  Really good stuff!

The main topic of his post was that Job Boards (Monster, Careerbuilder, etc…) have a bad reputation with recruiters.  He points out the fact that some recruiters purposely avoid job boards because of a belief that the candidates within those sites are inferior to the ones who are not. He goes on to discuss the statistical relationship that a job board would have with any candidate pool and his belief that there are plenty of great candidates on the boards, so long as we can find them.  In summary, he is urging recruiters to reconsider their stances on job boards and avoid being Sourcing Snobs.

All in all, I agree with him on a number of points that he makes.  Of course there are good people on job boards.  If there weren’t, we probably wouldn’t see that business model in existence.  So, statistical analysis aside, let’s just look at the reality.

• A job board industry exists
• Many candidates utilize these services when they are looking for work
• There are multiple organizations offerings similar services

So, there is a demand for the service and candidates use the boards.  Organizations pay to have access and the wheels on the bus go round and round.  This totally makes sense.

The Beauty of Dialogue

So, after reading the post, a few people started commenting on Twitter about their thoughts.  Two of those people were Debra Wheatman and Stephanie Lloyd.  It quickly became obvious that this was not just a timely topic, but a hot one!  The three of us, together, decided to formulate independent responses to the post as it’s a topic that requires conversation… well beyond my little post.  You can see what Stephanie and Debra have to say by choosing their articles here:

Commentary: Does it really matter where a great candidate comes from? – Stephanie Lloyd

Don’t be a sourcing snob – Debra Wheatman

Fortunately, we don’t agree on everything, so it won’t feel like swimming laps by reading their posts.  Enjoy!

Why I have to be a Sourcing Snob

So, even though I can be in complete agreement with BBB about the fact that decent candidates exist on the job boards, I feel compelled to elaborate my reasons for not using them.  It’s not all about snobbery or jumping on the bandwagon of recruiters turning their noses up at them as a source.  In reality, it has to do with my demand side.

My clients have certain levels of expectations when they engage me in a search.  First and foremost, the expectation is that I will be able to get something that they could not have acquired on their own.  Specifically, they are asking me to pull on and build new relationships with candidates that would be a potential match for their role.  In many cases, they are trying to plan for an upcoming (confidential) internal departure.  Sometimes, due to business needs, they are planning in advance for expansion.

Secondly, they are not usually looking for someone with just a skill set match for the role.  Often times, they are most eager to see someone from their competition.  Let me repeat that and clarify:

Clients usually want someone who is currently working for their competition.  Someone who has the skill set and the competitive intelligence.

Finally, my demand side has recently started demanding candidates from outside of the job board pool.  Yes, you heard me right… our contracts dictate that the candidate not be an actively listed participant of a job board.  Therefore, as a recruiter, I am rather limited in the who and the where of my search.

The Future of Snobbery

While I agree with a number of points that are made within the BBB post, it’s not something that can be dealt with simply by presenting statistical data.  As recruiters we deal with market forces and constantly changing norms for what a great candidate is.  The clients of the future are going to be more savvy.  The days when an employer didn’t understand LinkedIn or the basic sourcing methods within social media recruiting are rapidly going away.  We, as a recruiting profession, are going to be held accountable to do what we state in our titles… recruit.

What do you think?  How much do you value job boards in your search practice?

Picture thanks to jglsongs on Flickr.

Someone asked me yesterday why I’m always happy.

They said “Why are you always smiling? The economy sucks, recruiting is slow and you just go on your happy way wearing red shoes. I don’t get it.”

So, I replied that their perception was incorrect.  FACT: I am not a happy wearing red shoe guy 100% of the time.  We all have good days and bad… myself included.  It’s not easy being a business owner in a tough economic climate.  I don’t have a company promising to pay me if things don’t get better… that’s another fact.  I, like everyone else who pushes to make it through, have to find ways to pull up my boot straps and find the positive.

So, after many hours (probably too many) of contemplating that comment I tried to narrow down the reasons that I’m happy 95% of the time.  I came up with two reasons that are always in the back of my mind.  Responsibility and reality.

Seeing The Bright Side

Above all else, I feel responsible.  Remember the song “Don’t Worry Be Happy“?  It kind of reminds me of that.  The line goes…

“In every life we have some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don’t worry, be happy……”

The wise Bobby McFerrin perhaps had it right.  How many worry stricken people do you know that simultaneously experience great success in their lives?  I don’t know any… but, hey… I may need to get out more.

So, I feel responsible to everyone… not to solve all of the issues in their lives, but to greet them with a smile and a positive attitude.  Do I have my moments… yes.  But, for those times I try to stay at home.

The second way I stay positive is by imagining how bad things could possibly get.  Then, once I have a clear picture, I simply ask myself if that place would be impossible to recover from.  Could you bounce back if you lost your home? Yes.  Could you lose every worldly possession and build it back up from scratch given what you know? Yes.  Could you deal with falling flat on your face? Yes.

I remember reading a section in “4 Hour Work Week” by Timothy Ferriss that talked about our perceived worst-case-scenario being much worse than what reality would serve us.  Essentially, we like to imagine that the world will crumble in on us.  However, in all reality, we make it out to be much more than it is and that most discomfort or hardship is temporary.  He did a much better job explaining it than I every could… but, it made great sense.

Are you really having that bad of a day?  Did you eat today? Lucky you!  Did you wake up in a bed?  Lucky you!  Did you turn on a computer to read this post (no fibbing here!)?  Lucky you!

Truth be told, we should be grateful because our lives, no matter how terrible the media tries to make everything seem, are pretty decent.  This is a time of growth for everyone… and grow we will.  The innovation that occurs in harder-than-normal times can be fantastic!  In a flurry of pure will and survival, businesses push to improve and create.  As a whole, we will benefit from times like these.

So… why am I rambling on this off topic?  For a casual comment?

No.  It’s not about that one comment.  It’s about the overall mood and how people approach challenging times.  It’s especially about how challenging times change the way you and I approach others.  Are we helping or hurting with our presence?  Can we change our thoughts to help guide our impact?

How are you making an impact?  What keeps you in good spirits?

This great photo was taken by Scarleth White.

First and foremost, let’s start by recapping on what SHRM is and what they do…

Per the official SHRM website:

“The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries, the Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China and India.”

So, now that you have a recap, let’s dig in to my interview with China Miner Gorman, the COO of SHRM.

Q&A from HR Professionals

Last week I sent out a request to the HR professionals in Texas and around the country that I have worked with in the past.  The response with questions was overwhelming.  I narrowed them down a bit and chose a few to use in the interview with China.  It was evident after the first few email responses from my contacts that HR Professionals are very interested in social media and how it will impact their roles in the future!

Social Media – Questions

Q: How will SHRM prepare me as a professional to leverage social networking technologies?

A: Part of it is engaging with SHRM on our new website and with our new platform now and in the future as we design new applications. These communities will be geared towards the community itself. Users will be able to establish any sort of community they like. Not only will you be able to connect and engage with other HR users, you will have instant access to valuable information to share with others. You will be able to find, link to and share content from the site. As we continue to learn about the tools we will be adding them to our community.

Q: Has technology expanded to a point where it should be a separate specialized area taught for certification such as compensation and benefits?

A: That’s a great question! SHRM is in the process of researching the need within the HR world. It would not surprise me if this starts to show up over the next couple of years as a major need across the global HR community. SHRM is dedicated to keeping the members and all HR professionals current with the times.

Q: What is SHRM doing to educate HR professionals about the risks and rewards associated with the various social media venues?

A: You will see content at our annual conference in New Orleans. You will also find content on our website. We are currently getting expert advice from our special expertise panel.  We will share these stories and conclusions via HR Magazine and reporting on SHRM.org. We have launched The Daily Digest, which will surely contain timely topics on social media along with many other pressing issues. Social Media is all the buzz in the recruiting world and we see it becoming a larger issue for the non-recruiting HR professionals.

Social Media & SHRM

I attempted to look through Daily Digest, but I could not find a way in.  Apparently it requires membership.  Instead I took a screen shot so that you will recognize the link on the next occasion you visit the SHRM website.

If Daily Digest proves to be what China outlines above, I can see some definite value for HR professionals that are still members of SHRM.  On the other hand, in playing around with the SHRM website, I tend to get lost and pretty overwhelmed with information.  Considering how much I use the internet, this is a concern.  I just hope that this doesn’t scare away the people who need the timely information that SHRM has to offer.  Simple is better when you need something fast!

Risk and the Future

In part two of this interview, I’m going to cover the topics of non-HR certifications and SHRM’s take on what’s currently going on with unions.  Additionally, I will highlight a very interesting part of my conversation with China about how SHRM is planning to adjust their focus in the future.  You might be surprised to find out how they plan to serve you.

What’s your take on it?  How much have you learned about social media from SHRM in the past 3 months, 6 months… year?  Should they play a role in your future education on the topic?

Came across this recent post by HR Bartender from an interview with China Gorman last month.  It’s very well done!

It’s funny how photographs can trigger thought… In this case, I have somehow related candidacy with a wiener dog in a hot dog bun. I know it’s out there, but, let’s face it… there may be something to learn here. From someone who deals with career transition daily, I can tell you that changing careers involves a lot more than postive thinking.

Barking up the Wonder Tree

When shopping the market for a new opportunity, it’s very common to encounter positions completely out of your skill set that just call to you. Your head gets flooded with a myriad of questions… What if I would have… If only I had… Wouldn’t it be amazing to… STOP!

If you want to leave your profession, the good news is you can. The bad news is that it might not be easy.

Of course, you might just have a Lucky Applicant Day. What’s that? You haven’t heard of a Lucky Applicant Day? These are the times when a recruiter, after sifting through no less than 200+ resumes for an ideal candidate, suddenly comes to the realization that your non-applicable background works perfectly for the role!

I’d like to think that LAD happened more often, but it doesn’t. Recruiters are judged on their abilities to match a candidate to a role. Yes, we are judged by matching personalities as well… but, likelihood is low that a corporate or agency recruiter would throw caution to the wind with your candidacy unless they have a very compelling reason to risk their reputation for your new-found career focus.

Anti-Lucky Applicant Day Strategy

All jokes aside… you can bust in to a new realm of work. However, it’s going to require a lot of reflection about how your skills transfer and some good connections.

As with all things worthwhile, I recommend some serious planning for this ground assault. Follow these steps to get started:

• Figure out what you want to do
• Figure out where people who do what you want to do hang out (associations, conferences, etc…)
• Evaluate your skills as they apply to your new focus
• Develop a transition narrative… be able to explain why this transition is important to you and your life
• Start making friends who do what you want to do (see step 2)

Yes, there are a few more details… like getting your resume in tip-top shape. However, for the most part, this will get you started.

You may be wondering why this works and applying doesn’t. Simple. You are looking to make friends with your future potential colleagues and bosses. If there is one thing that I’ve learned in my years of recruiting… it’s that people, by and large, hire people that they like! If you can meet someone outside of work, appeal to their personality and perhaps develop a friendship, you are way ahead of the game!

A Wiener Dog and a Bun

I like hot dog buns and I think that Dachshunds are cute. Unfortunately – combined in all their glory – they do not go together.

Don’t be the candidate in a hot dog bun. Package yourself correctly and choose an approach that works. You can make the transition if you put your mind to it!

What’s worked for you? How did you make a career transition? Anyone ever experience a Lucky Applicant Day?

Picture: A friend published this picture on Facebook. She was not sure where it came from. If it belongs to you and I can attribute, please let me know.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN2HAroA12w

Nowadays, it doesn’t seem like you can turn on the TV or listen to the news without hearing about Twitter. As with most topics that catch a lot of attention, there will always be criticism and support. From the celebrity gossip to the political turmoils of the day – people always have a way of choosing sides. It’s really a good thing.

Let’s face it. Life would be pretty boring if everyone agreed on everything.

Twitter Criticism

I seem to be hearing people criticize Twitter because it runs the potential of becoming an obsession with little value. I agree that this may apply to some individuals who have a hard time stepping outside of their comfort zones. However, I do think that Twitter offers the true introverts of the world an opportunity to explore and meet people of like-interests.

Who are we to judge how people choose to relate to others?

If the platform helps them… great! The alternative is potentially leaving someone without a social outlet. Should they stretch themselves and meet people in person? Maybe. But, at the end of the day, it makes me happy to think that people can find a line of communication that works for them.

Okay… enough of my opinion, let’s talk about how this applies to recruiting.

As Twitter Applies to Recruiting

I’ve been curious to find out if Twitter can actually impact a recruiting desk. First know – I’m an independent recruiter with a focus on Human Resources recruiting. I have a niche category of focus, so it’s always important that I stay in touch and relate with HR professionals from around the country. I have found Twitter to be a great way to make this happen.

Just this week alone, I had the opportunity to communicate with well over 20 individuals who work within the HR arena. No less than five people reached out to me directly with their resumes… and they are great candidates! A couple of other Twitter contacts have approached me about working on high-level HR search assignments for their organizations. Please note… I did not solicit business from these contacts – I simply involved myself in conversations regarding HR. If someone wants to approach you, they will… it’s Social Networking not Social Marketing in my book.

The beauty of it all, as I related to my new Twitter friend Chris at Renegade HR, is that Twitter offers us a chance to connect easily. You can sort through millions of people to find those who clearly apply to your interests – whatever they might be. You don’t have to be pushy – just be yourself and share things that are of interest to you and your group. The laws of attraction will then be put in motion. If you don’t like what someone has to Tweet about, then you can quit following them. If you like what someone is saying, you can respond to that person directly or share their message with your own followers (ReTweet). The free flow of information is amazing and it’s great to know that you can develop a group of Twitter friends who are very willing to help.

As Twitter applies to business, it has the potential to become a game-changing tool. Additionally, Twitter makes it very easy to establish relationships based on common personal interests. I’ve met a number of musicians, world travelers and all-around adventurous spirits. Organizing these multiple conversations and topics can become a challenge. I would recommend that you download a tool designed to monitor and categorize the conversations you take a part in. While there are numerous options for this, I’m currently using TweetDeck to organize and filter my personal categories of interest.

Moral of The Story

Twitter is not for everyone… I get that. However, for recruiting and many other professions, I definitely see the value in understanding and communicating with your target market. Assuming that your intentions are in the right place, I think that Twitter can bring business relationships to a new level. Let’s face it – people like to work with people they’re fond of. I can openly admit that not everyone will like me… and I’m okay with that. However, if you express yourself, share things that you think are important and have an overall good attitude… likelihood says that you will gradually encounter a group that shares a lot in common with you.

I chose to recruit for Human Resources because I happen to enjoy people who work in that realm. Assuming the same applies to you, regardless of your business type, I would encourage you to give it a shot. Many people are recommending ways to use Twitter. Chris Brogan does a great job at explaining the topic and providing strategies… I highly recommend you take a look at his opinions on this matter!

Has Twitter had an impact on your personal or business life? If so, how?