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Perspectives from the Kinetix team on HR, Talent Acquisition & Management, life lessons and whatever else we want.

Energizing the Workplace

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What’s in your “personal” brand bank account?

This weekend I was reading an article by DMS of a similar name “What’s in your Brand Bank Account?” – and he got me thinking again how closely aligned proper PR and marketing focus is to job search today. In his post, he writes:

“Brands add to their accounts by creating things of value and giving them to people. For example, Apple has the genius bar and their free seminars. Corporate social responsibility is another form of giving (adding to your brand bank account).

Brands withdraw from their accounts through the attention that they demand from consumers in the form of television commercials, print ads and the like.” [Excerpt From Blog post by David Meerman Scott - Feb 16, 2010]

This is exactly the right advice for job seekers or anyone looking to “grow” their personal brand. The difference is in the execution and of course the cost. For corporate brands the focus is in giving it away, and that is also the essence of what works for a personal brand. In the case of job search the additions to your “account” could in the form of:

Referrals (other candidates or business connections)
Introductions
Sharing of information
Lunch or coffee as I noted in my last post
Forwarding articles or other items of interest to the recipient(s)

I hope you can see that any of these items could be adding to your brand account with a two-fold benefit (similar to what I mentioned in my last): the recipient will remember you, and you will have undoubtedly improved your brand with them – and potentially others that they tell.

So, as of this morning – what is in your personal brand bank account…and what are you doing to add to it? I am also interested in ideas to share about unique ways to add or build brand this way?

I’ll leave you with our music biz to showcase both a pretty strong view of how you can hurt your personal brand (Kanye) and help it (Beyonce) all in a few minutes. Way to go Beyonce!

Tags: behavioral interview, bio, career, career search, changing industry, job search, Job Seeker, job seekers, life lessons, LinkedIn network, Social Media, truth

03 Mar 10 | Employment, Get a Job, Talent Acquisition, job search | Read on | Comments (0)

Personal vs Work…you in or out?

I sit here on the plane, contemplating what is important in life and how so many things can get lost in the day-to-day. Conversely, there is so much to add to your life if you take the time to experience and appreciate as it happens. Platitudes, I know…..Yesterday a colleague and I got to spend time with some new friends, learn a tremendous amount, share experiences and begin to build a relationship. I am at once overwhelmed and energized by the trip. Further, the time and the learning have begun to give me a target, focus and framework for one of our main BHAGs this year. Since I am an incredibly goal oriented person, this has been cathartic as for me, not having clear direction on an objective is both agonizing and distracting for me. At the same time, I realize how much I miss my children and my husband and how special they are. It could be the great conversations we had about our host’s families and kids in addition to the work talk; it could be that I got to spend time this morning with a friend I have not seen in many years and rekindle our relationship, or as I learned yesterday, perhaps it is altitude sensitivity (?)……but think there is more at play here. Simply, this is a preferred way to do business. Or, this is the way that I want to do business, anyway.

My career began a very “traditional” model, climbing the corporate ladder, working hard, and playing hard too, but usually not too much together. That is to say that I, like most corporate denizens, had my work life and relationships, and for the most part – separately – my personal relationships and life. A great example of this early on was when a friend came to visit at my office and was chatting, congratulating me on being inducted to my University’s Athletic Hall of Fame (which completely floored and shocked my assistant). Now it could have been that she was the prototype Staten Island working girl and thus made a huge play of this news and how shocking it was to her……but the reality is, she never saw me that way because I did not think my historical or personal stuff is what they were paying me for. Now that is NOT to say that I did not foster personal relationships with work colleagues both inside and outside my firm, I simply did not believe my personal life and activities were important to my work life.

I never looked at these relationships as a holistic part of the right way to DO business. I always looked at it as who I was, and that building relationships as something I liked to do. I understand there has been tremendous dialog, certainly within social media on the need for “authenticity” and how the walls must and will be transparent or broken down between these distinct areas of our lives. What I am getting at is slightly different – not just that you need to do this to be “real” and successful in social media, but more that you should view this melding as a key part of how you will be successful in your job or business going forward.

I for one have a new year’s resolution to actively pay attention to these relationships – both traditional “home” type and business. I now believe that we can be tremendously more successful and importantly have more fun if we do this purposefully (thanks William for articulating this better, and how timely). You have so many more opportunities to help another, the more touch points you have – and vice versa. I could go on, but you get the point and my flight is landing.

So, what about you?

Tags: BHAGS, career, HR, human resources, life lessons, Social Media, truth

17 Jan 10 | HR, Human Resources, Talent Acquisition | Read on | Comments (2)

Here’s to 2010 and Beyond!

Thanks to Bill Boorman for sponsoring the HRCarnival video blog asking for quick comments on ourthoughts for the coming year. Bill is a great guy with a passion for the HR/recruiting world and seems to never sleep even with the time zone differences (he is in the UK). I also wanted to thank Bill because this forced me to do my first ever video blog post….from my home office mess in my weekend attire complete with baseball hat. Well – here’s to embracing all that is and moving forward even with things that terrify you….i am sharing my first with you.

Thanks for indulging me – and let me know if you think this is a decent way to deliver messages (snickering aside) and for which kinds of stories.

Shannon

Tags: career, career search, changing industry, HR, HR consulting, human resources, job search, LinkedIn, LinkedIn network, Social Media, Twitter

14 Jan 10 | Employment, Get a Job, HR, Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, Uncategorized, job search | Read on | Comments (0)

Talent Acquisition Triple Play

Congratulations to Sodexo on winning the 2009 Workforce Optimas Award for Vision

The company was able to improve hiring speed and quality even as it cut its annual recruiting advertising budget in North America by $300,000. The effort also has corresponded with better business outcomes. Customer satisfaction ratings have risen 0.3 points to 4.5 on a five-point scale since the strategy’s inception. The firm’s global revenue rose 7.9 percent for the year ended in August, and its net income increased 4.5 percent.

I am a fan of Sodexo’s talent acquisition approach from afar and I am excited to see their social media “investments” paying off so quickly. I also love the better business outcome proof. By thinking more broadly they are spending less on recruitment advertising, but gaining a broader reach while hiring apparently better candidates. Talk about a triple play! And I am impressed because they really seem to walk the talk (from what I can see). I truly believe that they are improving their company brand by the clearly improved employer brand they are building. To me they are proof of the shift happening away from traditional job boards and advertising as how the majority of companies find talent…..–toward social media as how smart companies will find their preferred talent pools. Now, you should know - I am biased as the hair on my neck is always raised when I hear the “post & wait” mantra of some of our clients – it makes me crazy!

Companies are missing the boat by not using their website to attract the best and brightest for their needs now and in the future. Sodexo is ahead of the curve regarding a focus on driving traffic to their website vs paying to improve the latest job board’s site . What doesn’t anyone get about the fact that at its best talent acquisition is a sales function? Meaning you want to pull in those that are a fit for your company: while (in the perfect world) helping those that are not a fit, see that early.

Just wondering if I am alone in being so passionate about focusing social media efforts on capturing passive job seekers - the future of our talent pipelines. Some cool : MLB triple plays

Tags: career, career search, FaceBook, HR, human resources, LinkedIn, LinkedIn network, Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Social Media, Twitter

23 Dec 09 | HR, Talent Acquisition, Uncategorized, job search | Read on | Comment (1)

Make the most of your new Full time Job (getting a job)

This week I was talking with some of our Jumpstart my job search participants, and realized that there are some themes to the challenges and opportunities that they found, which are consistent whether they were just beginning their job search or had been at it for quite a while. So I decided to summarize 5 keys they found most impactful in getting their job search off the ground.

Treat it like a full time job
Organize yourself
Be Accountable
Network every day
Pay it forward

If you have been at your job search for a little while, or longer than you would like – revisit these 5 key aspects and ask yourself if you are working hard on each – if you are not, take the Thanksgiving holiday to rest up and hit the ground running next week. I can assure you, not focusing on these is part of what is slowing you down.

This is a full time job – In today’s environment, looking for a new opportunity takes a full 40-50 hours per week. Less than this will only extend your search. Look at this as a job, in as much as you know that it generally takes more work than the next guy to get ahead understand that this is no different and there are plenty of others competing with you right now. We even recommend getting up an hour earlier every day.
Organize yourself – As with any project, it is key to be organized and have your work segmented to maximize efficiency. Take a certain amount of time each day for your research, working on your resume or networking plan, going to networking meetings or coffee and doing the significant amount of follow up required to keep yourself top of mind with the network you are building.
Accountability – This is likely to be the most significant aspect between successfully shortening your job search and fumbling along thinking you are doing things right and not seeing progress. They say that what you want to monitor must be measured, the same could not be more true in job search. Everyone in career transition should have a job search accountability buddy or buddies that they meet with each week to review metrics related to successful job search: the number of calls, meetings and the like. In addition you should discuss what you are struggling with and what new goals you have set. By far this is the most critical requirement of a successful job search – if you are not doing this, change today!
Network – This should become part of your daily routine, and should not change even when you land. Besides meeting with new and current contacts in the networking sense, make sure you are open to new connections wherever they may be. After all, everyone is somebody’s somebody – so bring your cards with you everywhere and remember that the person serving you your latte, may have a contact that is important to you, get to know them.
Pay it forward – This can take many forms, but all have the same result – you will feel better about your self. Whether you contribute to a local food-bank, build a house with Habitat, or just share some of your newly discovered job search tips – this activity is important for a number of reasons. First, it takes the focus off you in this “all about me” time. Second, it helps you reaffirm your value and also helps you see in many cases how lucky you are. This is especially important in networking – I recommend that you attempt to give back to your community (networks) in equal or better proportion to what you get. So if you get 2 new contacts this week from your networking – make at least 2-3 introductions to those in your network in return.

For some these may seem basic, and they are, however – I have seen time and time again where job seekers only go part way, and fail to do all the work required to be successful. So be honest as you review these and make whatever small or large changes you need to get on track. Best of Luck & Happy Thanksgiving!

Tags: career, career search, FaceBook, HR, HR consulting, human resources, interview, job hunt, job search, Job Seeker, job seekers, Jumpstart, LinkedIn, LinkedIn network, Outplacement, Resume, Social Media, Twitter, unemployed

22 Nov 09 | Employment, Get a Job, HR, job search | Read on | Comments (0)

Reflect, rethink, and then revitalize your job search!

Wondering why you haven’t gotten a single call back after scouring the job boards and applying to all those positions? It’s likely due to several reasons. First, understand that when a company posts a position Monster, CareerBuilder, or any other big job board, they do so expecting an onslaught of applicants – and today that’s what they inevitably get. There often is just one recruiter pouring through the responses, and that person’s objective is to make it as easy as possible to identify the people best-qualified for the job, and therefore, is looking for reasons to disqualify candidates quickly. At best, he or she is scanning each resume for key competencies which, if not immediately apparent, lands it in the ‘disqualified’ pile. It should go without saying that if your resume contains grammatical errors or typos, it will be discarded immediately. But most important, if you’re sitting back and waiting for the phone to ring, you’re operating in a reactive mode to begin with.

Applying on-line may be one strategy to employ in your job search, but today it can’t be the only one. If current statistics are correct, since you have a less than 10% chance of getting your job from applying to a posting, you should spend a commensurate amount of time using this avenue. If you’re counting on getting the interview using this approach, you’re expecting a recruiter to find that proverbial needle in the haystack. Studies show networking is still the best route to a job; uncovering the “hidden” job market occurs most often by talking to people…and talking…and talking! Step back and reflect on what you’re proactively doing to advance your search. Ask yourself:

Am I networking effectively, letting everyone I know what I’m looking to do next?
Have I contacted former colleagues who may be in a position to provide me with job leads in my area of expertise?
Have I asked an expert to critique my resume or for other help? Do I customize it for each opening that I am going for?

Rethink your goals and how best to achieve them. Be clear about what you want and then make good use of technology available to help you get it!

Now’s the time to take stock of what you’re really good at. Make sure the job you’re going after is a good fit for your skills and interests. Take advantage of free online career assessments at www.livecareer.com or www.rocketcareer.com
Is there a gap between your abilities and the type of work you’re seeking that may be holding you back? Is your best next step to enroll in an on-line class to strengthen your marketability?
Utilize social media to the fullest to market yourself. Create profiles on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and any others relevant to your field. If you have an affinity for writing, consider blogging about important information you know in a certain field. The key is to enhance your visibility.

Now that you’ve reflected on what’s not working, thought through your goals and what tools are available to help you to reach them, outline a new marketing plan to revitalize your job search. Remember to lean on your family and friends for support, seek advice from a professional if needed, and network, network, network!

Tags: career search, FaceBook, job hunt, job search, Job Seeker, LinkedIn network, Social Media, Twitter

06 Oct 09 | Employment, Get a Job, Uncategorized, job search | Read on | Comment (1)

The Importance of a decent photo in social media – especially in job search

How you present yourself online is critical, as it can be very beneficial or detrimental when it comes to your career. With the wide acceptance of social media and the growing number of job seekers on the market, public profiles (Facebook,Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn) and resumes (iResume) are being viewed many times daily. Recruiters, hiring managers, and colleagues in your professional network are seeking you out online, with or without your knowledge.

We have all heard the horror stories about someone claiming they were sick and then posting pictures on Facebook of the party from the night before. Or the guy on Twitter who slammed a company that had just offered him a job – a job offer which was then rescinded. This brings us back to the topic of pictures…You should be aware that what is on the internet is not private, and first impressions can help or hurt you in this age of social media.

One area where few people spend a lot of time to thinking about is their profile photo. Many times this is a small photo, anywhere from 48×48 pixels to something slightly larger. It is hard to find a good photo of yourself that works well in this format. Plus, many people don’t like photos of themselves… This is understandable. We often prefer to be behind the lens than in front of it, but it is important to have a good photo of yourself to create a good first social media impression.

Many times, the wrong kind of photos are being chosen. Don’t choose your mug shot (or something that resembles one) or a full body shot that provides no facial recognition or professional appearance. These photos don’t work in small formats and make your online profile look sloppy.

You do not necessarily have to use a standard “corporate” style headshot…often, something more unique is preferred…But the main thing to remember is to present yourself in a professional and interesting manner at the same time. Remember that the first thing most people are going to see in the job search process is your profile photo. Do you want your potential boss having a first impression of you holding a beer? How about being hugged by two girls in bathing suits? OK guys, this sounds great! But don’t miss the point…potential employers might not get the right idea.

Articles are coming out daily sharing that more and more employers are searching the internet (using Google or Bing to search your name, searching Facebook, LinkedIn, etc) as a part of their vetting process for new hires. When they do find you on a social media site, what will be their first impression?

On many social media sites, you may choose to display a family photo, which can be very tasteful. On more professional sites such asiResume and LinkedIn, a head and shoulders shot is much more appropriate. It can be off center or black and white (as long as it is not too dark) to add variety but still provide a professional appearance.

So, should you hire someone to take a professional photo? Not a bad idea! You can find someone locally that can shoot your photos from $50 to $150 dollars. We suggest taking several setups such as wearing a suit to something slightly more casual like a white shirt and jeans.

But, if you are looking to save money and have a friend that can help, you can have them can take photos for you. But know that self-portraits (sometimes abbreviated as “sp”) don’t always turn out as nice. People tend to create weird angles or perspective or develop a double chin. At a minimum, have someone else take it, even if it’s a spouse or girlfriend or friend – just have someone else take it. So when I say “hire” it doesn’t mean necessarily paying someone, if you can find it free, go for it.

Revisit your social media profile photos and ask yourself “is this the right photo?” If not, make the effort to get one taken. Remember, people beyond your friends and family may view it, and in this competitive market, you want to standout in a positive way.

Happy picture taking and happy job searching!

-Allison

This entry was co-authored by Frank Lazaro, an experienced marketing executive, BS from Kean University, MBA from Coles School of Business, and founding board member of Atlanta photography and arts-based not-for-profit, Atlanta Photography Exhibit.

Tags: bio, career, career search, changing industry, employment verification, FaceBook, job hunt, job search, Job Seeker, LinkedIn network, online resume, professional, Social Media

10 Sep 09 | Employment, Get a Job, Uncategorized, job search | Read on | Comments (3)

Find your next job on Twitter

There is more to learn on Twitter than what people are having for lunch, especially if you take the time to follow people who share your interests, education, and/or experiences.

Tips for Job Searching on Twitter
• Follow people in your industry who are writing about jobs or employed at companies where you have interest.
• Find target companies, and follow people who work there.
• Have good conversation, and tweet often enough that people know you and your career-related abilities.
• Tweet about your industry, job title, knowledge base.
• Provide advice to others in your field. Become and expert, and share your knowledge.
• Build your reputation through good conversation and a broad network.
• Follow recruiters and others who are writing about job opportunities in your city and industry.
• Use your online resume in your tweets.

Create your Online Resume to post on Twitter
Create an online resume and profile that is easily tweetable such as iResume. You will have your own personal url that is your unique iResume, making you stand out from other job seekers. Share your url, and/or include it in your bio.

Twitter Job Search Tools
Utilize search tools including TwitterJobSearch and Twellow, search through Twitter Search, follow @microjobs, or visit TweetMyJobs site.

There are additional job resources pertaining to specific fields and cities such as @alldevjobs – Developer jobs, @juicyjobs – Green jobs, @socialmediajob – Jobs in social media, @chicagowebjobs – Web-related jobs in Chicago, and @JobsBoston - Jobs in the greater Boston area. Or you can use more generic resources including @indeed - One search. All jobs, @jobshouts – General job postings, and @simplyhired - Job search site.

Happy job searching!

-Allison

Tags: background check, behavioral interview, BHAGS, bio, career, career search, changing industry, cv education verification, employment verification, FaceBook, interview, interviewing, iResume, job search, Launch, LinkedIn network, online resume, phone interview, professional, profile, Resume, returning to a field, Social Media, thank you note, truth, Twitter, unemployed

07 Jul 09 | Employment, Get a Job, job search | Read on | Comments (0)

Don’t apply to any and every job

Your job search requires you to put in time, thought, and effort. We know that time equals money, and your time is precious to you, so make it count. One of the biggest mistakes that we see job seekers make is strictly relying on the internet and applying to any and every job they come across that might be a fit for them. This is a mistake. Take our advice, and don’t fall into this category.

Applying to any and every job is essentially like throwing your resume into a black hole many times a day over and over again. You must make personal connections with people, not just cyberspace, or you will not be satisfied with your career decision…if you actually are lucky enough to land your next role. Instead, use your network! Social media and social networking is a great starting point. Sign up on Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn, and most importantly, iResume. Reach out to friends, classmates, and colleagues, and express that you are in search of your next opportunity. Think it through and have a strategy. Without writing down your goals, they are only wishes, and essentially, unatainable. So, get out your pen and paper, and set up your job search strategy and goals. Here are some great tips in doing so:

• Establish your target industry(ies), job environment, companies
• Establish a target salary range (be realistic of the current market)
• Establish target career titles/responsibilities (sometimes a title means very little – it is what the job actually entails that matters to your happiness and career success)
• Write these things down in a marketing plan (in conjunction with your iResume) that highlights your past experience and why these decisions will be a fit (how your degree lends itself to the role you are seeking, how your previous roles provide you experience for the next one, how closely aligned your salary is to what you are targeting, etc)
• Target recruiters within your industry, establish a relationship with them, have coffee or lunch, and stand out from the rest of the candidates
• Search on social media sites, corporate websites, and through web write-ups to find valuable contacts within your target industry and/or companies, and contact those individuals directly via email and phone
• Introduce yourself to recruiters and decision makers as an interested and capable candidate, and ask that they take a minute to review your iResume and Professional Profile

Once you have begun to grow your professional network, you will begin learning of new opportunities that may truly be a fit for you where you may be able to have solid representation and/or referrals by a recruiter or colleague. These recommendations from people who actually know you and your strengths are invaluable to you.

Pair these job recommendations, referrals, and professional relationships, with your new iResume and Professional Profile , and you are well on your way to landing your ideal job. Your network and sleek, professional iResume will help you stand out amidst the other applicants!

You have your framework, so put it to use!

Happy job searching.

-Allison

28 Jun 09 | Get a Job, Uncategorized | Read on | Comments (0)

Returning to a target field after years away from it

In reference to my previous post about Behavioral Interviews, a question was asked about getting back into the IT field after being out of it for 7 years…This question has prompted today’s entry.

No matter the industry, getting back into a field after being out of it for several years can be tricky. Any functional shift like that is tough especially when there are many jobseekers who have relevant, recent experience in your field.

The best advice I can give is 3 fold:

1. Get your hands back into the field whether it is

At home with software,
Online tutorials,
A class or two at a local community college or university,
Completing a certification
Reading books.

Show that you are willing to learn, are committed to ramping-up quickly, and have a strong desire to get back into the field.

2. Be prepared.

Update your resume highlighting skills related to your desired field,
Get written recommendations,
Prepare for interviews, and
Pprepare to take a bit of a step back in order to return to the field. Don’t sell yourself short, but be realistic in the current market.

3. Use your network!!

Share your career achievements and aspirations with past colleagues, mentors, recruiters, friends, classmates who can give you a positive referral and help guide you in the right direction.

Good luck!
- Allison

http://www.iresume.net

23 Jun 09 | Get a Job, Uncategorized | Read on | Comments (0)

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