Veteran employees bring unique skills sets to the workforce.

The holiday may be well over two months away, but really, is it ever too early to start preparing for it? I’m talking, of course, about Veterans Day.

Do you realize about one million military veterans today are unemployed? Hard to believe, considering the vast array of skills they possess, training they’ve gone through and discipline work ethic they demonstrate – all of which are valuable skills in any industry. So if you’re looking for suggestions on ways to acknowledge the upcoming holiday, you could start with focusing your recruiting efforts on this remarkable group of men and women.

But don’t take my word for it…

A 2009 CareerBuilder survey asked employers who have hired U.S. veterans or members of the National Guard to list the top attributes military personnel brought to their organization.

Survey participants cited the following valuable traits these employees possessed:

• Disciplined approach to work (cited by 68 percent of employers surveyed)
• Ability to work as part of a team (63 percent)
• Respect and integrity (57 percent)
• Leadership (50 percent)
• Problem-solving skills (46 percent)
• Ability to perform under pressure (44 percent)
• Communication skills (37 percent)

A few other things you might want to know about hiring veterans: With an honorable discharge, service members are basically certified drug-free. And many military personnel have achieved some level of security clearance, demonstrating that an individual is recognized as a trustworthy person. It’s also possible that you could qualify for government-paid relocation services if hiring a military person coming off active duty from another location.

And now that President Obama has proposed a new tax credit for employers who hire veterans, there’s even more incentive to hire military service men and women.

But perhaps Obama articulated the greatest reason to hire veterans when –during a speech last month in Washington, D.C.’s Navy Yard – he said:

“Just think about how many veterans have led their comrades on life-and-death missions by the time they were 25 years old. That’s the kind of responsibility and experience that any business in America should want to take advantage of.”

To further help companies find employees with these valuable skill sets, CareerBuilder recently launched Employvets.com, dedicated to helping match employers and military personnel. Veterans and National Guard members can identify employers who are sensitive to their employment needs, while employers can benefit from targeting these uniquely skilled workers for their positions.

According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, 60 percent of workers who were laid off in the last year have found new jobs. Of that 60 percent, 88 percent found full-time positions, and 54 percent found jobs in entirely different fields than where they previously worked.

Among the workers who are still searching for new opportunities, 56 percent said they are nervous about returning to work after an extended period of unemployment, citing the following reasons:

• Pressure to prove themselves (50 percent)
• Fear of the unknown (40 percent)
• Anxiety around new, unfamiliar technologies (21 percent)

The survey – which was conducted by Harris Interactive© from May 19 to June 8, 2011 and included more than 800 workers who were laid off from full-time jobs in the last year – also revealed the following workforce trends:

• Relocation: Of workers who were laid off and found new jobs, 36 percent reported they relocated to a new city or state. Of those who haven’t found new jobs yet, 38 percent said they would consider relocating for a position.
• Pay Increases: The majority of laid off workers who found new jobs reported their pay is similar to or higher than their previous position, with 45 percent taking a pay cut, (down from 47 percent last year), and 27 percent finding jobs with higher pay (up from 22 percent last year).
• Starting Small Businesses: Some workers may replace their job search efforts with entrepreneurship. More than one-in-four (27 percent) who have not yet found work said they are considering starting their own business.

But while it’s encouraging to see more companies hiring laid off workers (especially in light of recent reports that some employers refuse to consider unemployed job seekers for their open positions), it’s also crucial that they keep this momentum going.

It’s important to recognize that every segment of the workforce brings unique skills and value to the workplace, and that excluding any segment of the population from your applicant pool only cheats you out of talent that could benefit your organization.

In a statement for the survey’s press release, Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America, discussed the significance of these findings and the need to keep hiring in this economy:

“We need to do a better job as a nation to help workers identify jobs that are in-demand today and are projected to grow in the future. We have a growing skills gap and the need to get millions of Americans back to work. As the economy recovers, we need to focus on retraining and ‘re-skilling’ workers to help them move to new fields with a greater number of opportunities.”

Not to mention that companies that invest in hiring and retaining currently unemployed workers not only qualify for certain government tax breaks and benefits as part of the HIRE Act, but they’re also helping the nation overall in contributing to economic recovery.

Have you recently hired a laid off worker? Any advice for your peers?

Recently, CareerBuilder released its new e-book,Streaming Talent: Using Online Video to Create a Virtual Candidate Experience, Differentiate Your Company and Recruit Top Talent. 

Video may have killed the radio star, but don’t judge it too harshly. When it comes to recruitment, more employers are finding that video is an increasingly powerful resource.

Online video is the fastest growing medium for consuming content, and companies are investing in video to help them attract better candidates, brand themselves as an employer of choice, differentiate themselves from their competitors and create a more efficient recruiting process.

Learn the secrets to their success with this quick-and-easy guide to creating and promoting your own online recruitment videos.

• See the latest findings about the influence of online video in decision-making
• Understand the benefits of implementing online video into your recruiting efforts
• Learn best practices for creating recruitment videos
• Overcome the challenges to creating recruiting videos – before you even start
• See real-life examples of recruitment videos from top employers

“We want good people, we want to hire good people, and we want to retain them—but my real focus is in building a team.” – Robert A. DiMuccio

In the following interview, Robert A. DiMuccio, CEO of Amica Mutual Insurance Company, talks trust, humility and the necessity for ‘speed bumps’, among other things.

What do your employees mean to you?  What do they mean to this organization?
We sell what I would term ‘intangible product’: security and financial protection for our customers.  Our business is based on our customers’ interactions with our employees: How professional they are, how empathetic they are, how much time they put in with the customer.  Our employees are the organization; they are what the company is all about.

As you look at the characteristics of the most successful people across your organization, is there a common pattern among those individuals?
I think we have successful people from all different academic disciplines and backgrounds.  Their success is not necessarily based on, for example, what sport they played and how good they were at them, nor what they achieved academically. All those things are important but are just pieces of the puzzle. It really comes down to the person.  Can that person make a connection with other people, and is that connection real?  I don’t think you can fake empathy.  People will figure it out very quickly.

What’s the best hire that you’ve ever personally made and why?
An organization is built around a team.  A good team is not built around one person. I have this list in the back of my mind – the things I look for in people – and it varies depending on the position, the duties and that sort of thing. If you’re looking for 10 attributes, you might get lucky and find six or seven, because we’re all human beings.  But in a team, you’re going to get all 10 attributes.  We want good people, we want to hire good people, and we want to retain them—but my real focus is in building a team.  I think that all of our greatest successes came out of team efforts.

What do you look for when you’re hiring talent?
Obviously, for a particular job there are requirements and you want to make sure that who you hire has the core requirements for that job. But beyond that, you look for a positive perspective. People who enjoy being around other people, who want to work with people. That’s number one.

What is your leadership philosophy?  What are the main tenets of what you believe in terms of leadership?
Number one:  Treat everybody with respect across the organization. Number two: Find the right people, let them do their jobs and trust them to do their jobs.  I think if you find the right people with the right with the right skills and attributes, they’ll come into work charged up every day.  They’ll be self-motivated.

I’ve seen this written a hundred times, so I can’t take any credit for it: There are certain attributes a leader should display and one of them is humility. To realize that there are people around that probably know more of the answers than you do. It is also important to celebrate their successes and be public about it.

During 2009 and 2010 years, a lot of companies had tough times, tough decisions to make.  Did you as well?  What did you learn during that time frame?
You always try to look back after an incident or period of time where you’ve had to deal with something and say, “What did we do well and what could we have done better?”  A couple of things that we looked at: In the period leading up to the recession, we managed our company with the same basic principles we had managed for the previous 20 years: Number one, solid customer relationships. Through the recession, we held our customer base very well. The customer base provides revenue and pays for your overhead, and in return we provide service to them.  Number two, we’re an insurance company. We’re designed to take risk; however, through years and years of experience, we’ve also learned to manage risk and cap risk where we think it’s appropriate. 

What do you consider the most important decision that you’ve ever had to make as a leader?
One of the things I’ve always believed is when you’re in a position to alter the course of somebody’s career or even life – those are the decisions you should put the most time into. If you’re in a position where you can impact somebody’s life, the decision should be hard to make. There should be speed bumps. There should be a process for getting input from a lot of different people, and there should be a feedback process.  Those are the hard decisions, and I always spend a lot of time on them. Your really important decisions are the decisions about people.

ABOUT ROBERT D. DIMUCCIO: Robert A. DiMuccio, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Amica Mutual Insurance Company, graduated from Providence College in 1979 with an accounting degree and began his career with the accounting firm KPMG Peat Marwic. DiMuccio joined Amica in 1991 as an accounting department vice president, and, over the years, has served as senior vice president, treasurer and chief financial officer. He was named executive vice president in 2003, and president and chief executive officer in 2005. In 2008 he was elected company chairman. In addition to his work at Amica, DiMuccio serves on the boards of the Property Loss Research Bureau and the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, as chairman of the Board of Governors of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, and as president of the Board of Directors of the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council.

ABOUT AMICA MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY: Amica Mutual Insurance Company, the nation’s oldest mutual insurer of automobiles, was founded in 1907. The company, with corporate headquarters in Lincoln, RI, is a national writer of automobile, homeowners, marine and personal umbrella liability insurance. Life coverage is available through Amica Life Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary. Amica employs more than 3,100 people at Amica Center in Rhode Island and 39 offices countrywide. Amica has been acknowledged by financial services industry analysts for its superior financial strength, and it has been recognized repeatedly for exceptional customer service in auto and homeowners insurance surveys by a leading consumer publication.

Last week, CareerBuilder released the results of a recent nationwide survey, which found that 34 percent of hiring managers are placing greater emphasis on emotional intelligence when it comes to hiring and promoting employees post-recession.

The survey also revealed that 71 percent of hiring managers value emotional intelligence in an employee more than IQ; 59 percent would not hire someone with low emotional intelligence; and, for a remarkable 75 percent of hiring managers, emotional intelligence trumps IQ when it comes to deciding on employee promotions.

But how do those numbers compare when broken down by certain industries? Let’s take a look:

Government

• 34 percent of government employers said they are placing a greater emphasis on high EI for hiring and promotion decisions post-recession
• 70 percent value emotional intelligence in employees more than IQ
• 62 percent would not hire someone who has a high IQ but low EI
• 77 percent said they’re more likely to promote the high EI worker

Government employers also said they value emotional intelligence because employees who display this quality tend to resolve conflict effectively and are more likely to stay calm under pressure. In response to the findings, Chuck Loeher, area vice president for CareerBuilder, said:

“Government jobs aren’t just about producing information and ideas – there’s a lot of moving and organizing people, as well. A deep knowledge base is important no matter your position, but dynamic interpersonal skills are needed to successfully motivate groups made up of diverse personalities, ideologies and work ethics. All workers, at all levels of government, can benefit from deeper insights into their own emotional intelligence.”

Information Technology (IT)

• 37 percent of IT employers said they are placing a greater emphasis on high emotional intelligence for hiring and promotion decisions post-recession
• 52 percent value emotional intelligence in their employees more than IQ
• 55 percent would not hire someone who has a high IQ but low EI
• 61 percent said they’re more likely to promote the high EI worker

When asked why emotional intelligence is more important than high IQ, IT employers said they believe employees with high emotional intelligence know how to resolve conflict effectively and tend to make more thoughtful business decisions. Jamie Carney, senior product director of Sologig.com, had this to say about the findings:

“The data helps unravel the myth that the best IT professionals are smart people locked to their computer screens. Technical competency is a must, but when it’s down to you and another candidate for a promotion or new job, it’s dynamic interpersonal skills that will set you apart. Emotional intelligence is a sign of leadership and the ability to be a team player – that’s the type of worker most IT managers want.”

Retail

• 34 percent of retail employers said they are placing a higher emphasis on emotional intelligence for hiring and promotion decisions post-recession
• 79 percent value high emotional intelligence over high IQ
• 55 percent would not hire someone who has a high IQ but low EI
• 79 percent said they’re more likely to promote the high EI worker

For retail employers, high emotional intelligence is valuable in employees because it indicates they know how to appeal to customers and can stay calm under pressure. According to Bill Meidell, product director at WorkinRetail.com:

“The nature of retail work demands employees who can sense what their clients and customers need the moment they walk through the doors. A high IQ is important in any profession, but retail is a social space that demands dynamic interpersonal skills. Workers with high emotional intelligence are the key to customer loyalty.”

Health care

• 37 percent said they are placing a higher emphasis on emotional intelligence for hiring and promotion decisions post-recession
• 81 percent said they value high emotional intelligence over high IQ,
• 72 percent of health care employers would not hire someone who has a high IQ but low EI.
• 87 percent said they’re more likely to promote the high EI worker.

The ability to stay calm under pressure and resolve conflict effectively topped the list of reasons health care employers place such high emphasis on emotional intelligence in their employees. Looking at these results, Rob Morris, product director at MiracleWorkers.com, said:

“High Emotional Intelligence is important in the health care field because understanding a patient’s emotional needs is sometimes just as important as treating their medical condition. Moreover, stress can take its toll on health care workers. Emotional Intelligence is a sign that professionals will be able to ease the pressure by empathizing with both their patients and colleagues.”

How important is emotional intelligence in your industry?

13.9 million Americans are currently looking for work, according to BLS statistics. It goes without saying, then, that making a positive impression with potential employers is of utmost importance to job seekers. Despite good intentions, however, the reality of these efforts sometimes falls short of the goal. While it’s clear that many of us have made a résumé mistake at one time or another in our job-searching experiences, as well as a few blunders during the interview itself — some mistakes are more, ah, memorable than others. Then again, some of them may not turn out to be mistakes at all. Let’s weigh in on results from a just-released CareerBuilder study of more than 2,600 employers nationwide — revealing the most unusual résumés they’ve seen seeing.

Resume reviews: Faster than you (should) brush your teeth

Turns out that nearly half (45 percent) of human resource managers said they spend, on average, less than one minute reviewing an application. Less than one single minute! While this comes as n surprise to those with the responsibility of hiring, it is quite the shock for many job seekers who think you’re spending hours poring over the intricate résumé details they worked so hard to perfect.

Not to fear, however: In that less than one minute’s time, human resource managers can retain quite a lot of the absurdities that come across their desk. When asked to recall the most memorable or unusual résumés they’ve gotten, human resource managers and hiring managers shared the following gems.

Employers’ 15 most memorable résumés:

1. Candidate said the more you paid him, the harder he worked.

2. Candidate was fired from different jobs, but included each one as a reference.

3. Candidate said he just wanted an opportunity to show off his new tie.

4.  Candidate listed her dog as a reference.

5. Candidate listed the ability to do the moonwalk as a special skill.

6. Candidates – a husband and wife looking to job share –submitted a co-written poem.

7. Candidate included “versatile toes” as a selling point.

8. Candidate said that he would be a “good asset to the company,” but failed to include the “et” in the word “asset.”

9. Candidate’s email address on the resume had “shakinmybootie” in it.

10. Candidate included that she survived a bite from a deadly aquatic animal.

11. Candidate used first name only.

12. Candidate asked, “Would you pass up an opportunity to hire someone like this?  I think not.”

13. Candidate insisted that the company pay him to interview with them because his time was valuable.

14. Candidate shipped a lemon with résumé, stating “I am not a lemon.”

15. Candidate included that he was arrested for assaulting his previous boss.

To hire — or to run?

Let’s keep in mind that while unusual résumés may be something some hiring managers guffaw over or use to perfect their free throw shot, smart recruiters and employers know that strange can sometimes lead to a successful employee. Don’t be so quick to write off a candidate who, upon further inspection, may simply be thinking outside of the normal résumé confines.

For example, maybe the candidate who included first name only was just being particularly cautious about his or her employer finding out that one of their star employees was job hunting. And the candidate who survived a bit from a deadly aquatic animal? He or she could have a fantastic sense of adventure and survivor instinct that may play well with your company culture. The candidate who wanted to show off his tie may simply have been making a genuine attempt to get your attention with humor. And the candidate who sent a lemon with the “I am not a lemon” wordplay? Clever, memorable — and probably someone you want to give a second look. In today’s extremely competitive hiring environment, a candidate who is willing to take a risk and be creative may be someone who will make the right risks at your company, brainstorm creative solutions to your business challenges, and be a huge asset to your bottom line.

That candidate who does a great moonwalk, though? While an impressive feat, to be sure, likely not one that will do much for your business (unless you are in the dance business, in which case I retract my hasty statement).*

*Also see: Candidate had shakinmybootie in email address.

And obviously, examples like No. 15 are a more serious matter altogether.

When trying to decide whether a résumé is unforgettable — or simply one you want to forget — consider the following factors:

• Is it relevant to the job?
• Is it clear and coherent?
• Is it smartly executed?

If your answers are “yes,” you should strongly reconsider tossing what some would consider a brilliant business move into the trash. Wouldn’t you rather a candidate work to get your attention, rather than blast out the same boring résumé to you and a dozen others? And hey, it’s not as if these candidates are lying to you on their résumé; if anything, they’re guilty of revealing too much.

Creativity solely for the sake of creativity isn’t always a winner, but if that creativity cleverly touches upon your company or open position, or a candidate’s skills in relation to the position at hand, you might not have such a lemon on your hands, after all.

As Rosemary Haefner (@haefner_r), vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, points out: “In a crowded job market, a stand-out résumé can be the difference between getting the interview and being lost in the pile. But job seekers need to ask themselves if they’re standing out for the right reasons.”

So tell us — what’s the most unusual résumé or job tactic you’ve come across? Was it worth giving the candidate a second look?

Today, CareerBuilder released its new e-book, From Q&A to Z: The Hiring Manager’s Complete Interviewing Guide. 

Few things are as critical to the hiring process as the interview. If nothing else, the interview process is a networking event – an opportunity to brand your company in the eyes of a potential employee, brand advocate or customer. But ultimately, if executed correctly, it can help you find the right fit for both the job and your organization overall (and, as a bonus, reflect well on you for finding this person).

This quick-and-easy hiring guide covers everything from preparing for the interview to evaluating candidates afterward.  Readers will walk away with the following takeaways:

• Steps to take to prepare for the interview
• The importance of body language
• When to raise the red flag (and when to let it go)
• The best and worst interview questions
• How to avoid asking inappropriate interview questions
• What the candidate wants to know

Get From Q&A to Z: The Hiring Manager’s Complete Interviewing Guide for free today. 

Get the inside information you can apply today to conduct more effective interviews and make smarter hiring decisions.

Heeding the timeless advice of Roxette, a majority of employers are listening their hearts when it comes to hiring, and placing a higher emphasis on candidates’ emotional intelligence than their IQ’s.

That’s according to CareerBuilder’s latest survey, which indicates that 71 percent of employers say they value emotional intelligence over IQ.

What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a general assessment of a person’s abilities to control emotions, to sense, understand and react to others’ emotions, and manage relationships.

The survey of more than 2600 hiring managers and human resource professionals nationwide reveals that EI is a critical characteristic for landing a job and advancing one’s career. According to the survey:

• 34 percent of hiring managers said they are placing greater emphasis on emotional intelligence when hiring and promoting employees post-recession
• 71 percent said they value emotional intelligence in an employee more than IQ
• 59 percent of employers would not hire someone who has a high IQ but low EI
• 75 percent are more likely to promote an employee with a high EI over one with a high IQ

Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, cites today’s competitive job market as a reason employers are focusing more on emotional intelligence when it comes to hiring.

“In a recovering economy, employers want people who can effectively make decisions in stressful situations and can empathize with the needs of their colleagues and clients to deliver the best results,” Haefner says in a statement for the survey’s press release.

Survey participants gave the following reasons for placing a higher value on EI over IQ (in order of importance):

• Employees [with high EI] are more likely to stay calm under pressure
• Employees know how to resolve conflict effectively
• Employees are empathetic to their team members and react accordingly
• Employees lead by example
• Employees tend to make more thoughtful business decisions

Looking for Signs: How to Spot a High EI
HR managers and hiring managers assess their candidates’ and employees’ EI by observing a variety of behaviors and qualities. The top qualities they look for, according to the survey, include the following:

• They admit and learn from their mistakes
• They can keep emotions in check and have thoughtful discussions on tough issues
• They listen as much or more than they talk
• They take criticism well
• They show grace under pressure

What do you think of these findings? Do you place a higher emphasis on EI than on IQ?

“We strive to nurture an environment where you are able to develop and grow; one that helps to develop your personal interests and clinical skills.” – George V. Hager, Jr.

In the following interview, George V. Hager, Jr., CEO of Genesis HealthCare discusses overcoming professional challenges, the importance of instilling confidence in people, and the experiences that have shaped his leadership philosophy.

Can you talk a little bit about how Genesis Healthcare has evolved over the last 10-15 years?
Genesis HealthCare grew via acquisition in the late 1990s. Acquisitions present interesting challenges as well as opportunities. The first issue you are dealing with is cultural. There is a culture you want to create, especially in a mission-driven business. Trying to fully integrate the acquisition companies into the Genesis culture presented many challenges. I think people underestimate how difficult integration can be and how long it really takes to fully integrate, especially considering the number of acquisitions we completed over that time period. Many of those acquisitions created opportunities for us in new and existing markets and allowed us to adopt a best practices approach to merge the companies.

As the CEO, how do you stay engaged with your employees?
That’s a real challenge for a company like Genesis. We have 40,000 employees in 250 inpatient sites of service, and nearly 1,000 Rehabilitation Therapy provider sites. Fortunately, we are somewhat geographically concentrated.

I think the first thing you need as the Chief Executive Officer is confidence in your management team and the people on the ground doing the heavy lifting. The challenge I faced was the fact that my background was finance. (My prior work experience was as a partner in charge of the healthcare practice at KMPG.) Not only was I challenged with leading a clinically-focused organization, as a finance person, I was dealing with huge capital and technology needs, and an over-leveraged balance sheet. I had to find a way to grow through all those challenges in an industry that still suffers from a poor public perception. The first thing I did was dedicate two days every month to visiting our facilities.

In the first two years in my role, I visited over 200 facilities to allow me the most informal way to actually meet our caregiver teams. I did not go out with the Chief Operating Officer, the President of the region, or the Executive Vice-President. I went out with one person from our Public Relations group. She was a great resource to the field, and she organized all my visits. She was also well respected in the field. When the two of us would go out to the facilities, I met with as many people as I could, and I tried to get them to tell me what was on their minds. Believe me, I got an earful. They  wanted to make sure I knew what the issues were from their vantage points on the frontline. It was extremely valuable for me; and I felt that I really developed a special relationship with the employees I talked to.

What was your biggest takeaway from those visits? How did that experience make you change the way you operate today?
The center leadership teams were incredible during my tours through the facilities. As I walked around the facilities (typically with the Administrator and the Director of Nursing), they would grab anyone who walked by and say, “Hey, I want you to meet George.” They would introduce me by first name; and it did not matter if the person was in housekeeping, the kitchen, or in a nursing area; they couldn’t care less. There was no question that they took an interest in their people, and you could tell their staff reacted positively to them as well. The effective leaders were engaged with the residents and patients, as well. Sometimes they would grab one of the residents in a wheelchair and take them with us. It was fascinating to see. In some instances I found leadership not well engaged with staff, patients or families. I noted differences in leadership style and ability which impacted on center relationships and operations. The importance of the leader’s commitment to the people who carry out the mission of our company every day, was the most obvious take-away.

When you decided to create a formal leadership program, did your leadership team develop it, did you bring somebody from the outside, or was it a combination of both? How did they come together?
We used outside consulting resources to help us design the programs and to help us run the classes in our Leadership Development Program with our in house experts. It was a combination of both, but it was led internally in our HR function. Our Leadership Development Program was given a high priority despite the limited resources we had at hand to get it started. Enabling our leaders to get the job done in alignment with our mission and core values has driven our program’s success. If you do not think leadership development is the most important part of the company, you should not be leading the company.

What is it about Genesis that makes it a place where people want to work?
I would say that you would come to Genesis because your choice of profession has an inherent mission element to it. Our mission statement reads: “We improve the lives we touch through the delivery of high quality healthcare and everyday compassion.” If you don’t buy in to that mission, then you probably shouldn’t be part of our team. That said, we are hopeful—I am hopeful—that we serve our employees as we serve our patients. We strive to nurture an environment where you are able to develop and grow; one that helps to develop your personal interests and clinical skills. We also are very passionate about the patients and families we touch every day. Our staff strives to make a difference in the lives of those they care for.

ABOUT GEORGE V. HAGER, JR.: With over 25 years experience in the healthcare industry, George V. Hager, Jr. serves as Chief Executive Officer of Genesis HealthCare, LLC. He joined Genesis in 1992 and, prior to being named CEO, served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and later as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. George spent the first 13 years of his professional career at KPMG, LLP. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Dickinson College and a masters in business administration from Rutgers Graduate School of Management. He is a certified public accountant; Board member and audit committee chair of Adolor Corporation; member of the Board of Trustees and finance committee of The University of Sciences in Philadelphia; member of the Board and executive committee of the National Investment Center; member of the Board of the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association; and member of the Board and audit Committee chair of REACH Medical Holdings, Inc.

ABOUT GENESIS HEALTHCARE: Genesis HealthCare, one of the nation’s largest long-term care and rehabilitation therapy providers, employs over 40,000 people, each one dedicated to the delivery of quality healthcare to the residents and patients in its Centers.
Genesis has more than 250 Skilled Nursing Centers, and Assisted Living Communities, located in 13 eastern states, while its Genesis Rehabilitation Services division provides contract therapy to over 750 healthcare providers in 26 states and the District of Columbia.
As a premier care provider since 1985, Genesis offers a variety of compassionate care services to patients, residents, and their families. Genesis is committed to clinical excellence and is ranked among top providers for overall satisfaction and quality medical care, according to national independent research.

While you were busy hobnobbing with Michael J. Fox, greasing up with the Thunder From Down Under or singing along with da best singer in da world at Caesar’s Palace, here’s what you might’ve missed at CareerBuilder’s booth during SHRM 2011…

The following videos feature presentations given by our recruitment experts during SHRM’s annual conference in Las Vegas this past June, and they cover everything from social media, video and mobile recruiting efforts to the wonders of data intelligence, to what CEO’s really want from HR.

See below, or check them on our YouTube channel.

Emerging Media and Your Recruitment Strategy

Here, CareerBuilder’s VP of Corporate Marketing, Jamie Womack, discusses how and why companies need to utilize social media, online and mobile platforms for recruitment right now.

Your Company in 2020

Building an integrated recruitment strategy is a much different task today than it was three years ago. Here, Jamie Womack talks about how to build a talent pipeline to fuel your company’s future growth, pulling in aspects of messaging and emerging media and compensation.

Data Not Just For Data’s Sake

Personified’s VP of Development, Abdel Tefridj, demonstrated both the need and the opportunity for business leaders to use data – and use it more efficiently – as they make critical decisions daily in an ever-changing world.

What Your CEO Wants to Know

This year was particularly exciting for CareerBuilder, as our CEO, Matt Ferguson, presented during the SHRM official sessions. Here he is at the Las Vegas Hilton, discussing a recent nationwide survey of CEOs that highlights how the CEO/HR professional relationship has evolved over the last five years.

What’d you think? Anything we didn’t cover that you’d like to see next year? Let us know!

“My number one priority is to seed the organization with bright, young, innovative thinkers that can become the next generation of leaders for CORT.” – Jeff Pederson

In the following interview, Jeff Pederson, President of CORT Business Services, discusses where ‘kicking up dirt’ comes into play at his organization and how doing business can sometimes feel like performing an autopsy, among other things.

What is your philosophy as it relates to people and their impact on your daily business?
Our business is our people. Our client companies and customers are involved in transition or planning something special in and around their job or personal life. We deal with people in relocation, long distance temporary assignments, project management, marital transition, college students, first time job professionals as well as trade show, party rentals and special event furnishings. In addition, thousands of companies rely on CORT to provide their temporary and permanent office furniture. Our B2B clients and consumer clients count on CORT’s people to understand what their needs are and to find solutions that are appropriate for their circumstances.

How do you engage with and relate to your employees?
Senior management travels a lot to our regional and local offices; we’re very active in the business and strive to understand what our team faces everyday in providing services to our customers. We’re always out there, kicking up dirt and turning over rocks to help uncover opportunities with our employees.

 What are the most important leadership lessons you’ve learned?
There are a couple that have stood out to me over the years…”be yourself, forget yourself and be interested in others,” and to “keep your commitments.”

How do your people (employees) affect your business, particularly as it related to client services?
Our people are all about who they service. We get a lot of testimonials that start off with “I don’t know what I would have done without [this employee]’s help….” Without that level of customer service and customer caring, we wouldn’t survive.

How do you define CORT ’s culture? As a leader what role do you play and what is your impact on the culture?
CORT’s culture is entrepreneurial…to a degree. We like to develop best practices and be able to repeat best practices from market to market. We always strive to be “best in class.” Again, senior management strives to meet with our employees regularly and do our best to listen. I think that has led to a collaborative environment with very little turnover.

Some people believe HR to be the only department with a responsibility for the organization’s people. Can you tell me how you make your overall talent strategy a priority and the role you play in driving it?
We are fortunate to have tremendous tenure at the middle and senior management levels. That is a blessing and poses challenges as well. My number one priority is to seed the organization with bright, young, innovative thinkers that can become the next generation of leaders for CORT. This mixed blessing is something our management group talks about all the time and is a priority at every level.

What do you do to rally the team and reinforc e your employment brand?
There’s very little cheerleading I need to do to reinforce the employment brand. There is however a challenge to reveal our business to an upcoming group of young motivated managers. Most people are surprised to learn that CORT is a Berkshire Hathaway Company and likewise surprised to hear about our reach and scope of business. Expanding that piece of the brand will help draw additional talent into the organization for our future development and expansion.

What would you consider the most important decision you ever had to make as a leader?
There isn’t one particular decision that comes to mind, but having done a Chapter 11 reorganization back in the 1980’s taught me that it’s much easier to build a business than it is to carefully deconstruct one. It’s akin to an autopsy…as you never realize what’s under the skin of an organization until you’re forced to do that kind of forensics.

What was the best PROFESSIONAL decision you ever made?
Taking a leap of faith, trusting our Chairman and joining CORT.

ABOUT JEFF PEDERSON: Jeff Pederson has held several executive management positions of increasing responsibility with CORT Business Services since he joined the company in 2002. Jeff has been a director of the Company since 2004 and was named president of CORT Business Services in September 2006 following two years as chief financial officer. Prior to joining CORT, Jeff held senior executive positions at rental companies including Globe Business Resources and Budget Rents.

ABOUT CORT: CORT, a Berkshire Hathaway Company, is the world’s largest provider of rental furniture. In business for over 40 years, CORT has served millions of individuals and over 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies. The industry’s leading provider of residential and commercial rental furniture, CORT is also a leader in the rental of Tradeshow & Event furnishings, offers a full line of houseware rentals and provides access to millions of available apartment units nationwide through its free online apartment locator, ApartmentSearch. In addition to over 100 showrooms and clearance centers across the US, CORT also has established a global network of business partners in close to 70 countries around the world. CORT’s greatest assets are the more than 2,000 employees who understand the difficulties and stresses involved with major transitions. CORT’s motto, “Wherever you’re heading, we’ll be there,” embodies its commitment to make transitions for individuals and companies as smooth and pain-free as possible.

As many of us keep a close watch on the latest stock market news, CareerBuilder’s just-released survey on worker finances (PDF) shows the financial situation for some workers is actually improving (albeit slowly). Forty-two percent of workers in the survey of more than 5,200 workers say they usually or always live paycheck to paycheck, an improvement from 43 percent in 2010 and in line with levels seen back in 2007, pre-recession.

Signs that workers’ finances are improving:

• The number of workers who have missed a bill payment has decreased since 2010: 20 percent say they have missed payments on bills in the last year, a slight improvement from 22 percent at this time last year.
• 14 percent of workers making six figures say they live paycheck to paycheck, down from 17 percent in 2010.
• 6 percent of these six-figure earners said they can’t make ends meet every month — but that’s an improvement from the 8 percent who said the same last year.

Gender wars

It appears that, though both genders have their share of financial issues, female workers continue to struggle more with their personal finances than their male counterparts:

• 46 percent of female workers say they live paycheck to paycheck, compared to 38 percent of male workers.
• 24 percent of female workers say they have missed a bill payment over the last 12 months, higher than male workers at 17 percent.

 They work hard for the money (so don’t mess with their cable TV)

“The majority of U.S. workers (72 percent) reported they are more fiscally responsible since the recession and have made a variety of changes to their living and spending habits,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.

And while being more fiscally responsible may mean giving up some material comforts, workers said they would absolutely not give up the following regardless of their financial concerns:

• Internet connection – 56 percent
• Driving – 46 percent
• Mobile phone – 42 percent
• Cable TV – 27 percent
• Going out to eat – 11 percent

The future is now later

Although as shown above, workers may be loath to give up a night out at the newest restaurant in town, giving up money that’s not in hand yet is sometimes a little easier — so it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that some workers are making ends meet by dipping into their long-term savings.

• 21 percent of workers say they have reduced their 401(k) contributions and/or personal savings in the last year to get by.
• Others aren’t contributing to long-term savings at all: One-third (34 percent) say they don’t participate in any 401(k), IRAs or retirement plan programs.
• Nearly two in ten workers who make six figures have reduced their contributions to savings and 401(k) programs each month (17%) — and 9 percent don’t participate in a 401(k) program or other personal savings plan at all.

Consider the following tips to pass on to your employees (or to use yourself) to ride out the economic downturn and prepare for the future:

• Channel your inner Sherlock Holmes – Look at your expenses under a microscope. Takeout coffee, restaurant lunches and other everyday expenses can make a dent in your checking account. Create a spreadsheet to analyze what you spend each month. Once you see where your money goes, you can more easily determine where to cut back.
• Be like the squirrel – Put an amount away, even if it is small. Regardless of the amount, set aside money each month for your short and long-term savings. If you have trouble fitting savings into your budget (or remembering to do it at all), set up an automatic deposit into a savings account.
• Show off your flair for the frugal – Savings may be right under your nose. Talk to your HR department about how you can make the most of your organization’s benefits. Find out if your company offers discounts for vendors like banks, gyms, or car rental services, and ask for additional resources to help you select the right benefits plans for your budget.

Need a recap? Get a snapshot of workers’ current financial situations.

CareerBuilder continued our monthly #cbjobchat Twitter chat last Monday night (quick plug: It’s the first Monday of every month at 7 p.m. CST)– so if you skipped the trainwreck that was the Real Housewives of New York Reunion Part II, you might have caught it! If you didn’t, do not fear — we’ve recapped the best bits of the chat for you.

This month’s chat was all about tough interview questions. Candidates aren’t strangers to them — those questions that seem to flow effortlessly from an interviewer’s mouth, but that leave candidates themselves speechless, or trailing off into a long, random story about sixth grade camp and s’mores and that cute girl with the pigtails and the camp counselor who told them to never be afraid. Never. Be. Afraid! Wait, now where was I? Ah, yes. Tough or scary interview questions — employers have to deal with them too (just on the other, less scary side). So this past Monday night was the perfect opportunity to merge the two worlds together, to share advice and give everyone the opportunity to learn a little more about the other side’s experience.

For those who aren’t familiar with #cbjobchat, we aim to bring together both job seekers and career experts to discuss today’s most pressing recruitment process questions.When job seekers had questions, you all didn’t hide your feelings. But job seekers had some opinions to share with you as well. Let’s dig in:

Chat Highlights:

Q1: How do you explain an involuntary departure, such as a layoff or firing? Do employers care about a layoff vs. being fired?

The general consensus here was that honesty is the best policy — layoffs have become more commonplace and job departures less stigmatized.

@KaraSingh Be honest. Keep it short and professional. If the hiring manager wants to know more they will ask.

@V167 Honesty is the best policy, but you have to remember to not insult a former boss or job regardless of the outcome.

@MatthewTForrest Seems like the stigma that was once there isn’t there for the most part. Just be honest about your situation.

@ChangePR Agreed. Layoffs are far too common nowadays anyway & honesty is always best policy.

Q2: How should job seekers explain leaving their current job without badmouthing a boss, and still sound sincere?

Experts advised candidates to look forward and stress how they can contribute to their full potential at a new company/in a new role. Recruiters need real reasons, but an employer wants to know what you are looking for in the future. Above all, candidates should not bash a former employer. Diplomacy is the way to go.

@mtATL Be positive about your old job, but focus on the direction you are looking to go. No need for badmouthing.

@michaelranaii If you badmouth your old company, who’s to say you won’t bad mouth ‘this company’?

@KaraSingh Say you’re looking for a position that will challenge you to your full potential.

All about the application process

If you were betting on job numbers, and you bet that 18,000 new jobs were created last month, thinking we’d have a repeat of June, you’d be wrong. But it’s probably a bet you’d be happy to lose, because in July, we added 117,000 jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ “The Employment Situation” summary for July 2011. This jump followed two months of very little growth (in May and June).

Despite this growth and landing above Wall Street expectations, we’re still below the number needed to really make a dent in the unemployment rate — but it’s an improvement. So, the sky isn’t falling — and let’s just say we’re cautiously optimistic, yes?

Other details from this month’s “The Employment Situation” summary:

• Net growth explanation: 154,000 jobs were created in the private sector, but with a loss in government jobs of 37,000, we saw a net increase of 117,000.
• May and June’s low growth numbers have also had positive net revisions of  56,000.
• The labor force, at 152.3 million, did not change much in July.
• The unemployment rate was little changed but we did see improvement, from 9.2 to 9.1 percent. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that this lower rate was due to more individuals dropping out of the employment search (labor force participation fell from 64.1 percent to 63.9 percent).
• Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 10 cents to $23.13. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 2.3 percent.
• Neither average weekly hours or the number of temporary employees rose; as The Economist points out, both are indicators of future labor demand.

Hiring by industry

We saw job gains in health care, retail trade, manufacturing, and mining. Specifically:

• Health care employment grew by 31,000 in July. Ambulatory health care services and hospitals each added14,000 jobs over the month. Over the past 12 months, health care employment has grown by 299,000.
• Retail trade added 26,000 jobs in July. Employment in health and personal care stores rose by 9,000 over the month with small increases distributed among several other retail industries.
• Manufacturing employment increased by 24,000 in July; nearly all of the increase was in durable
  goods manufacturing. Within durable goods, the motor vehicles and parts industry had fewer seasonal
  layoffs than typical for July, contributing to a seasonally adjusted employment increase of 12,000 jobs.
• Mining employment rose by 9,000; virtually all of the gain (+8,000) occurred in support activities for mining.
• Professional and technical services continued to trend up in July, with a gain of 18,000 jobs.
• Employment in construction, transportation and warehousing, information, leisure and hospitality, and financial activities changed little in July.
• Government employment continued to trend down in July, with a loss of 37,000. Employment in state government decreased by 23,000, due almost entirely to a partial shutdown of the Minnesota state government.
• Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 10 cents in July to $23.13. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 2.3 percent. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees increased by 8 cents to $19.52.

See what CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson had to say yesterday on CNBC’s Squawk Box program about job creation, the biggest skill shortage we’re facing right now, and more.

What do you think about July’s BLS job numbers?

Your hotel may whisk you off to a Cirque du Soleil show, an upgraded luxury suite or a fabulous dinner.

That phone call about your computer issues that normally passes you through four different people may shoot you directly to Susan, the manager.

Your favorite airline may send you to the new Bali resort everyone’s raving about – on their dime.

And if you’re a job candidate, the employer you’re courting may be bowled over by your credentials and hire you on the spot –

– all because of your Klout score.

What?! Yes, it’s true – not only are brands using Klout on a consumer level, but recruiters and employers are starting to use Klout scores to gauge candidates’ effectiveness or fit as a potential hire. Is Klout + recruitment a passing trend – or a permanent hiring tool? Let’s take a closer look.

What is Klout?

Klout is, according to the company’s website, “the standard for online and Internet influence.” Klout insists it isn’t about the A-Listers, because they believe every person who creates content has influence. “Our mission,” the site says, “is to help every individual understand and leverage their influence.

And in a recent Twitter chat (#kloutchat), Klout shed light on how one’s score is determined: “Score is based on how how many people you influence, how much you influence them, and how influential they are.” It’s more about reactions to the content people create — than about the content itself; about how much people take action on your content through things like retweets, “Likes,” commenting, and clicking on your links. How much of what you do online causes people to take action? That’s Klout’s bread and butter.

Klout + Recruitment

The chatter about Klout has been growing stronger. Originally, it was about individuals using it to determine their online influence among their peers. More recently, brands have gotten into the mix and have started using Klout to create perks for customers or potential customers with a high influence index, like Spotify giving Klout users early access, Virgin America giving away tickets, or hotel upgrades or restaurant table VIP. The thinking is, getting influential users to experience your products will cause them to talk about your brand on online networks and spread sentiment about your company through their online influence.

And now, Klout is seeping into the world of recruitment — and faster than we may realize. Joe Fernandez, CEO of Klout, believes that social media is becoming an increasingly important candidate asset. “A person’s comfort and ability to leverage social media is becoming, if not critical, at least a differentiator among candidates,” says Joe Fernandez, CEO of Klout, in a recent Q&A blog post with Forbes blogger Tracey John. If he’s hiring for a marketing employee and two candidates have similar education and experience, but one candidate is active on sites like Twitter, Facebook, and blogs and one is not Fernandez says, he says he will hire the one who is.

Klout can’t be the only factor in making decision on hiring, he adds – just as you wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) base college entry based on SAT or ACT scores alone. “I think in terms of understanding somebody’s ability, comfort, reach and engagement with social media – which is becoming more and more important – that Klout is the standard and a great tool for hiring.”

The CEO of Klout isn’t the only one using Klout for recruitment. In Mark Schaefer’s blog post, The Making of a Social Media Slut, he says he recently heard about four friends or co-workers making — or being on the other end of — decisions that were arrived at because of Klout scores, all within a 72-hour time period. Though we’re far from Klout and recruitment being a mainstream practice, it’s happening — and we need to take a hard look at the potential positives of such a mix, as well as the potential pitfalls.

The Good

1. Competitive advantage.
Klout plans to externally expose numbers that signify exactly how influential individuals are about particular topics, stats which they’re currently tracking behind the scenes — meaning if you have an overall score of 32, you may still have a 65 in architecture, meaning you are very influential in that particular area. With this, not only will candidates be able to show their “social capital,” but they will be able to show potential employers (or their co-workers and superiors, if currently employed) what specific topics they’re passionate and knowledgeable about.

Java programming? Creative writing? Women’s studies? Klout has the potential to give candidates a professional layer based on the content they’re putting out there and the way others interact with that content – not simply based on their interests (e.g. “Info” listings in Facebook). If you’re particularly skilled in email marketing, Klout gives you another way to show off those talents. Because of Klout’s integration with LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare, and its hopes to integrate with others like Tumblr, Google+ and WordPress, there are many places in which job seekers can make their mark in particular specialties or markets, and raise their Klout scores in those areas to stand apart from their competition.

People want to have control over their online professional reputation, and Klout offers another way for them to do that. As Brian Solis pointed out in a recent Fast Company article, “People are now part of the equation and are willingly shedding their “audience” moniker and vacating the branded auditoriums of yore in favor of building their own stages, their own personal theaters.”

2. A more complete picture.
When hiring, Fernandez said, you have a limited amount of information about a candidate from which to make a decision — which is often true. Klout offers candidates a way to showcase their skills and talents and give potential employers more information about themselves, and it offers employers a way to garner more information from which they can make a fully informed hiring decision. Should Klout be the single factor used in making a hiring decision? Definitely not (and if you’re a hiring manager using only Klout to decide whom to hire, you are likely in the wrong profession). Fernandez says Klout is just one ingredient — but that the fact that someone takes time to build their personal brand and share their expertise and passions is valuable to employers. And whether you’re a recruiter or a candidate, it is important to develop your personal brand.

Just how important is this one method, though?

The Bad

As much as Klout can be a powerful tool, there are many potential issues with Klout that employers and recruiters should watch out for when considering adding it into their recruitment mix.

1. Candidate experience.  Is Klout a platinum card for recruitment? In the Klout consumer experience, some businesses are giving customers with a high Klout score perks, as mentioned above — or preferential treatment. While this has problematic possibilities (if other customers are being ignored), we are used to seeing certain customers receive better treatment based on rewards systems calculated through money spent or customer loyalty. We have accepted the consumer reward-based system, and it does incentivize many customers to increase business with a particular company and spread the word about the company and its benefits.

However, some businesses may want to treat the candidate experience in the same fashion through Klout, by giving candidates with high scores better communication throughout the the interview process, choosing to give the job to the person with a higher Klout score, or even offering them a better salary. Beyond unfairness, poor hiring decisions, and possible legal ramifications, the potential backlash from candidates in situations like this is immense — and for good reason. Picking and choosing who you provide with a great candidate experience can severely damage both your consumer and employment brands.

2. Abuse/Lack of knowledge.  Klout as a business looks at candidates’ scores when seeking new candidates, but as Fernandez says, they won’t pass on a quality candidate just because he or she has a low Klout score. But what about a hiring manager with shiny object syndrome? You know, the one so enraptured with a high Klout score (even if he or she doesn’t even know what it signifies) who does pass on a quality candidate for the less qualified candidate with Justin Bieber-like Klout score because it looks cool, or because their peers or competitors are using Klout and they think they should be, too? A buzzworthy case study does not necessarily equal a quality hire — and as you probably know, hiring the wrong candidate can cost you thousands of dollars, not to mention a lot of time and resources.

Companies need to be smart about how they use any kind of recruitment tool, and Klout is no different. It’s perhaps even more tricky, because it’s not by design a recruitment tool, but a social influence tool. Adapting it to recruitment in a way that makes sense takes good sense on the part of the person hiring, as well as a willingness to understand and continue to learn and adapt as the tool evolves.

3. Accuracy.  I don’t talk about Coldplay on social media sites. In fact, the only time I did, it was to make fun of the name of their new song (c’mon, Every Teardrop is a Waterfall?). So I scratched my head for a while, trying to figure out why Klout listed them as one of my influential topics. I finally realized that it wasn’t because of how often I talked about Coldplay, but about how other influential people interacted with my one comment. My tweet happened to be retweeted by a pretty influential user, which, I am guessing, must be why Coldplay was catapulted to the forefront of my page. Still, it doesn’t seem accurate — and if candidates are associated with topics they really don’t know much about, but recruiters don’t realize it, where does that leave us?

Klout has said that the responsibility is on users themselves to remove topics they don’t think they are influential in. I have yet to remove Coldplay from my own topics — probably because it’s not a priority. But it’s possible that when candidates know potential employers are looking at their Klout scores, they will care, and they will remove topics that aren’t relevant to them in order to make their page more accurate or to showcase the items they want employers to see first. After all, it’s up to a candidate to make sure the information on their resume, or their LinkedIn profile, or anywhere else that’s online and public, is accurate, honest, and projects the image they intend to put forth. If it isn’t, the truth will likely come out in the interview process. Candidates can try to game the system — but it’s up to those hiring to sort out fiction from fact.

Not all candidates will curate their own profile, however. This may be well and good — after all, Klout content reflects the topics candidates have talked about online that others have taken action on, which is relevant in some sense regardless — but it may also be misleading if employers are putting stock into it (or just look bad: “Oh, I see you’re an expert in planking?!”). Which leads me back to #2 — those who are hiring must be smart about using the tool.

4. Fairness.  Among Schaefer’s stories mentioned above was one about his friend who Schaefer claims is very talented but who was rejected for a job at a major ad agency because his Klout score was too low. If this is truly why the friend was rejected, it’s a huge red flag for the future of Klout and recruitment. Though social media savvy, personal brand, and online influence may be preferred or even crucial in roles directly related to communication or social media, or in industries which depend on your established contacts, why would we want to force candidates to engage online if they prefer not to?

As mentioned above, according to Klout, every individual who creates content has influence, but what about those who choose to stand on the sidelines — those who prefer to consume content rather than create, and to engage in other ways? What about the collectives, joiners, and spectators? They may write killer ad copy and have an amazing creative mind — but hate putting their personal life on the Internet. Do we fault them for that? Even if the position is for a social media manager, in which social media engagement is a necessity, do we simply look at a low score and assume they’re not great at tweeting or being a community manager? We shouldn’t.

Furthermore, for many industries, the measurement of the extent to which influential people online are driven to act upon the content you put out there just isn’t that important — or isn’t important at all. You must ask yourself what qualifications you need for a particular position, and seek the candidate who fulfills those needs. Flashy new sites will come — and some will stick around — but it’s up to recruiters and employers to put a process in place that is accurate, fair to candidates, and makes sense for their business. As Fabrice Calandro points out, employers are attracted to Klout scores, because in theory, “an employee with more online influence will help your employee branding through blog posts, Tweets, Facebook posts and LinkedIn updates because they’ll reach a broader audience.” While this may be true, it shouldn’t be the factor your hiring decision is hinged upon. Employees will vouch for you if they like you, whether it’s online or offline. “Buying” the probability of an employee boosting your brand is a losing game.

5. Relevancy.  As @NicoleInDC points out in her comment here, it’s not always real people or professional accounts who have the highest Klout scores. It’s true; anonymous parody account @chuck_facts tweets only Chuck Norris “facts,” and is influential about Microsoft Vista, Africa, and television on Klout with a score of 74, about the same score as user @acarvin, who is an identified person and a strategist at NPR. I could add more examples — fictional account @themime, who has only ever tweeted dots (hey, he’s a mime), has a Klout score of 61. Not too shabby — and according to Klout, he’s influential in Wall Street, statistics, and law — yet there’s no rational explanation as to why. If scores are similar between the real and the conjured up, with influential topic choices sometimes seeming completely off the mark, how can those in charge of hiring possibly use Klout as a serious assessment tool?

The Bigger Picture in Recruitment

Fernandez has said that Klout is just one ingredient in the hiring recipe. And, although some have expressed concern that Klout scores will one day be the only factor hiring managers are looking at, it will likely be the exception rather than the norm. Different people vary ingredients in a recipe according to their needs and personal tastes. It’s the same with hiring choices – some employers may be more concerned with education, while others are focused on specific certifications, and still others care most about years of experience in a particular field. No one recipe is the same, so the idea of Klout becoming the sole factor in a hiring decision seems unlikely (not to say that it hasn’t or won’t happen).

As in any profession, there are good hiring managers, and there are bad ones. It’s the hiring managers or recruiters who don’t know what they should be looking for who will abuse Klout — or any other tool, for that matter. People in charge of making hiring decisions must be careful to make responsible, sound and ethical decisions, based on a person’s actual ability to do the job at hand.

For some roles, social media interaction is important, but for others, it’s not important to the role whatsoever. Does a manufacturing candidate need to be active on Twitter to successfully perform his or her job? I don’t think so. We have to be realistic about our expectations of candidates – just because hiring managers may want something doesn’t mean it makes sense to get it. Developing a personal brand, however, is a smart move for all types of candidates – after all, the majority of recruiters and employers do search for candidates online to find out more about them.

Hello, Is It Good Candidates You’re Looking For?

I’m no Lionel Richie, but I think the bigger question might be, what are you looking for from candidates? Do you know — or are you simply following the latest buzz, and neglecting those candidates who really might be perfect for your open position? Klout, like social media in general, has the potential to better your business — but it’s not meant to keep the lights on.

As Brian Solis has wisely said, “Social media will not save business, but it will challenge them to evolve, to adapt… to do better.”

Klout is another tool for candidates to showcase their experience and talents, and it’s another tool for recruiters and employers to view a snapshot of candidates through an online lens. Just how clear that lens is remains to be seen — and just how influential Klout itself is – well, time will tell.

In the meantime, tell us — would you — or have you — used Klout in your recruitment process?

On CNBC’s Squawk Box this morning, CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson discussed job expectations versus job creation; the disconnect caused by the structural mismatch between available jobs and available skills; the industry with the biggest skill shortage right now; and the area hottest in wage growth.

Check out what else Ferguson has to say about the state of jobs in America:

The digital beast has arrived, and it is eating recruiters like foodies ferociously eat edamame while waiting for sushi.  Only the best recruiters have discovered the importance of two-way communications and long-term relationships. Just filling an open req may keep you in your job today, but it is not going to get you that promotion or next job or even next client. What differentiates you from the guy in the cubicle next to you or the woman in her basement starting her own company? It is you – your experiences, personality, persistence, network, knowledge and, oh, so much more. After all, clients and candidates will only ask for you by name if they feel like they know you and trust you.

Think of it this way. You reach out to a candidate via email. The first thing that candidate does is Google you to see if you and your company are legit. If that candidate can’t find you with a simple Google search, that person may not even dignify your email with a “no thank you” response. A high caliber candidate wants to know that you know something about him or her, and that you aren’t just sending spam to any warm body you find. Plus, if you are seeking talent in upper management or the C-suite, that candidate is going to want to know that you are good at what you do and not just some middle person doing the dirty work of the “real” recruiter.

So, even if you aren’t sold on Facebook or managing your own page/profile, you can still establish the brand of you. Start simple and small with a Google Profile or Google+ . Create a blog on blogger.com or tumblr.com that is about your industry, recruiting, or your company. For those of you who hate writing long posts, find yourself a Twitter handle and send out some easy peasy 140-character tweets. You could also head to YouTube; with a simple WebCam, you can talk your way into more clients and more candidates.

Just keep it straightforward with consistent naming conventions. Yes, use your full name or the same handle for all your profiles, and use the same photo with each of them so people can always tell when they find one of your official online profiles. Just a few simple steps, and you are on your way to becoming a high-profile recruiter.

Nearly 30 years later, Bananarama’s haunting words once again ring true: it truly is a cruel, cruel summer…

…at least it is for those employers who say their workplaces are suffering from a decrease in employee productivity right now.

According to CareerBuilder’s recent survey on employee productivity, one in four employers (26 percent) think workers are less productive in the summer and nearly half (45 percent) think workers at their organization are currently burned out on their jobs.

Turns out, the reason employees seem burned out is because they are. (Shocking, right?)

Of the nearly 5,300 employees surveyed, 77 percent say they are sometimes or always burned out in their jobs, and 43 percent say their stress levels on the job have increased over the last six months.

The rising stress could be a result of heavier workloads. Nearly half (46 percent) of employees reported an increase in their workloads in the last six months, while only eight percent said their workloads decreased.

As if feelings of burnout aren’t enough to distract workers, summer provides its own special recipe for productivity disaster: Nicer weather, vacation-fever, and kids being out of school led the list of reasons employers felt their workers were less productive.

Productivity perceptions differ
The goodish news is that productivity is actually up from previous years…depending on who you ask: Looking at overall productivity trends year-round, 30 percent of the more than 2,600 employers surveyed say workers are more productive today than before the recession began; while 12 percent feel workers are less productive than before the recession.

Employers who saw a rise in worker productivity during the recession primarily attribute the increase to the fear of losing a job and the effects of downsized staffs on individual workloads. In addition, 73 percent are seeing the increase sustain today and 14 percent state productivity has increased even more.

Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America, says it’s no wonder workers are feeling burned out right now. In a statement for the press release, Rasmussen says:

“The recession produced consequences for not just those who were laid off, but also for the many employees who were asked to work harder as a result of leaner staffs. While getting more out of a smaller workforce is a sign of organizational agility during unpredictable times, it’s hard to see such yields in productivity holding forever. Headcount will be needed to meet increasing demands.”

4 Fast Fixes to Employee Burnout
While there’s no (legally available) magic pill to make employee burnout go away, you can help relieve some of their feelings by implementing a few of the following tactics.

1. If you love them, let them go. Encourage your employees to cash in their vacation time. Even if they can’t afford to leave town, taking a day or two off will help them refresh.
2. Add an “ish” to that clock in/clock out time. If it works for your company, be a little more flexible with letting workers come in later or leave earlier, or maybe work from home a few days a week, so long as they get their work done. Better yet, consider implementing “Summer Fridays” and letting your employees off at noon to let them enjoy a little extra weekend time.
3. Have class outside. Re-energizing your team could be as simple as taking a break from the routing and getting out of the office every once in a while. You might consider organizing an outing to a museum, baseball game, bowling alley or nearby restaurant for a team lunch or happy hour. In addition to boosting morale, out-of-office gatherings give co-workers a chance to mingle in a more relaxed environment, strengthening both business and personal relationships.
4. Adjust the A/C. Yep, you read that right. It may sounds simple-to-the-point-of-silly, but a recent survey shows extreme office temperatures can affect worker productivity. It may be hot outside, but that doesn’t mean the a/c has to go bull blast inside. Don’t ignore the a/c either, though. Smelly, sweaty and hot is a triple threat to productivity, if not the senses.

Are you feeling the effects of worker burnout this season? How are you coping?

CareerBuilder’s Small Business Job Forecast points to improved, but cautious hiring in the second half of 2011

In a move that should make John Legend and high school gym teachers everywhere feel validated, small businesses plan to take it slow in the second half of 2011.

When it comes to hiring plans, that is.

According to CareerBuilder’s nationwide survey of more than 1,400 small businesses, while small business hiring in the coming months is expected to be better than 2010, caution continues to steer the pace of job creation post-recession.

In a statement for the press release, CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson discussed why small businesses remain hesitant in their hiring plans:

Right now there is a multi-speed labor market with smaller organizations slower to add new headcount. There was a chill effect on confidence levels coming out of the last recession and small businesses are still waiting to see how the market will unfold before committing to fully expanded staffs. Hiring in this segment will continue with modest gains in the second half of the year.

Following are the major findings from the Small Business 2011 Mid-Year Job Forecast: 

Full-time hiring up from last year: The number of small businesses planning to hire full-time, permanent employees from July through December rose six percentage points over last year, with larger companies hiring at a more accelerated pace.

• Companies with 50 or fewer employees – 20 percent hiring full-time, permanent employees (up from 14 percent last year).
• Companies with 500 or fewer employees – 27 percent hiring full-time, permanent employees (up from 21 percent last year).
• Companies with more than 500 employees – 46 percent hiring full-time, permanent employees (up from 38 percent last year).

Part-time hiring plans remain relatively unchanged: Small businesses expect part-time hiring to be on par with last year. Larger organizations are slightly less likely to hire part-time workers than last year, focusing more on adding full-time staff.

• 50 or fewer employees – 9 percent hiring part-time employees, same as 2010
• 500 or fewer employees – 11 percent hiring part-time employees, same as 2010
• More than 500 employees – 19 percent hiring part-time employees, down from 21 percent in 2010

Contract or temporary hiring up slightly: Companies of all sizes plan to increase their use of contract or temporary support to fill in employment gaps before turning up the dial on permanent placement.

• 50 or fewer employees – 6 percent hiring contract or temporary employees, up from 4 percent last year
• 500 or fewer employees – 8 percent hiring contract or temporary employees, up from 6 percent last year
• More than 500 employees – 16 percent hiring contract or temporary employees, up from 13 percent last year

Customer service is in-demand: Similar to last year’s study, the functional areas for which small businesses plan to hire first are those on the front lines with customers and those driving innovation.

• Customer Service, Information Technology and Sales remain in the top three spots for recruitment in the second half of 2011 with Administrative and Business Development rounding out the top five.

Burn-out, turnover and competition for talent among major areas of concern: Retaining and recruiting top talent has become a major challenge for small businesses as the economy improves and employers fight worker burnout.

• 36 percent of small businesses believe their workers are already burned out.
• 25 percent are worried that workers will leave their organizations as the economy improves
• 10 percent say that top workers left their organizations in the second quarter
• 18 percent currently have open positions for which they can’t find qualified candidates

For more information – and to see how your business compares – download the full report here.

“What words come to mind when I say “Gen Y”? Aaron Kesher asked the many SHRM 2011 attendees packed into the room.  “Entitled!” shouted one person. “Job hoppers,” chimed in another. Soon, many in the room (many of them non-Gen Yers, with some Gen Y members sprinkled in) were shouting things like “smart,” “resume builders,” “technically savvy,” “stereotype,” “comfortable with change,” and “creative.”

Obviously, we all have specific words and phrases and ideas that match how we perceive Gen Y to think and behave in the workplace. Gen Y, made up of those born between 1980 and 2000, has their own notions of themselves, too. In Aaron Kesher’s “Why Y? Plugging Into a Generational Powerhouse” session at SHRM 2011, Kesher encouraged all of us in the room to rethink our notions of what we think Gen Y is all about, to consider the strengths they bring to today’s dynamic workplace, and to use this knowledge and understanding to more successfully recruit and retain Gen Y workers.

“Do not doubt that this generation will change the face of the American workplace as their parents did,” Kesher said. “In the next five to 10 years, Kesher said, the number of Gen Yers in the workforce will increase dramatically.”

As the number of Gen Y workers is only getting larger, it’s about time we as a collective workplace learn more about Gen Y so that we can understand them, appreciate their unique strengths, and more successfully integrate them with other generations in the workplace.

What is work from a Gen Y Perspective?

• Work ethic: Job loyalty, for a long time, was shown by how long you stuck around and paid your dues — and older generations still think in line with this. Gen Y, on the other hand, says, “I show you love by how hard I work, not how long I stick around.”
• Tech savvy: It’s not so much that Gen Yers are tech savvy, Kesher pointed out – they’re tech dependent.They’re the generation that’s come of age with the explosion of technology, so it’s natural that they would be comfortable with it.
• Communication and teamwork: Gen Y is not necessarily entitled; they just feel comfortable asking for what they want. When it comes to communication, you can often count on Gen Yers to spread out the message fast and often. We need to realize, Kesher said, that throughout Gen Y’s public education, the majority of the work was done in groups, and that their role wasn’t usually as the leader of a group – instead, many were “equal” team members. Therefore, many Gen Y members function fairly well as a group and as “team players,” but some struggle in standing out as individual, assertive leaders.
• Money:  Employers, listen up: Gen Y is talking to each other about the money they are (or aren’t) making at your organization. They are comparing how competitive your salary is with your competitors — and they’re not afraid to share their findings. One audience member mentioned recently hearing Gen Yers discussing openly the job offers and bonuses they were getting — and she was shocked.  After all, discussing how much money you make is one of the last great American taboos — yet Gen Y seems more comfortable with discussing this sort of information.
• Recognition: Gen Y is a generation of the “there are no losers – everyone’s a winner” mentality. “But they didn’t make that up (boomer parents),” Kesher pointed out, to a round of laughter. Gen Yers don’t care how it gets done – they just want to get it done. And they want to be told they did a good job once they do it; recognition is very important.
• Diversity: “Why do only white people work here?” might be something a Gen Y worker thinks while viewing a company site or sitting in the lobby while waiting to be interviewed and noticing the lack of diverse employees. Gen Y doesn’t embrace diversity – they expect it — and if your company says you believe in diversity, but then a Gen Y worker shows up and all workers look the same – they will think you’re not living up to your diversity message. This generation has grown up with a greater awareness of and comfort with diversity of all kinds. From home lives, to school experiences, to messages absorbed from pop culture, they often don’t see what all the fuss is. This can manifest as difficulty in understanding why others struggle with issues around differences. A question of whether gay marriage should be legalized, for example, is a non-issue for many Gen Y individuals — and this shift ties into a larger cultural shift in general.
• Work versus life: “I love my job, but I love my life more” — that’s something you may hear a lot of Gen Yers say. One of the critical issues that will need to be ironed out at work in the future, Kesher said, will revolve around workplace flexibility. We’re increasingly seeing workplace flexibility issues evolving in the workplace, and Gen Y workers in particular (though they’re not alone) want to know how they can maintain their relationship with work while still having the flexibility to live the life they envision. As mentioned above, Gen Y has no problem with work, or with the idea of working hard — it’s just that their job will never be the whole of their identity. They raised with the imperative to “follow your dreams!”, and their job and life may intersect in new ways than we’ve seen in past generations. “Gen Y,” Kesher stressed, “doesn’t want a job – they want a life that hopefully includes a job.”
• Being green: This is the generation that’s leading the green movement – so give them the power to build, make changes, and become leaders in your organization’s (existing or non-existing) green movement.

Why worry about Gen Y?

Ensuring that the different generations working together under one roof actually work well together is a big concern for many employers. After all, if knowledge isn’t able to be sufficiently shared from generation to generation, older generations will eventually retire — taking with them decades of experience. In addition, workers who work well together are likely to be happier, more productive, and better brand ambassadors for your company.

To effectively work with Gen Y workers, Kesher said, you don’t need to change who you are – just your approach. In a great reverse example of this, an audience member told the story of her (as a Gen Y worker) learning to compromise with a Silent Generation worker. The older worker, she said, took a long time to respond to emails, but whenever she had a printed piece for him to look at, he worked much more quickly. After figuring this out, she started printing out  her emails to him and putting them on his desk – and now his turnaround time on feedback to her is much faster. It’s small steps like this that can make a big difference between two generations that don’t always see eye to eye — or medium to medium.

By learning the “why” behind this generation’s interests, ideas, and behaviors, you will understand how Gen Y workers function best in the workplace, and you will be better prepared to recruit and retain them. Here are some ideas to get you started, courtesy of Kesher:

6 ways to more successfully recruit Gen Y:

1. Have fun. Use the media to get your company message out there. Gen Y is all over social networks, and as mentioned above, they are very comfortable with technology, so get in front of them on various mediums — and get creative in your efforts. Speak their language; what have you learned about the things that matter to them that you as an employer are able to provide? Connect work to their lives; how do the two successfully intersect in your work environment? Are you able to offer workers a great work/life balance and opportunities for them to enrich their lives outside of the office walls? Show them.
2. Challenge them. Gen Y workers are attracted to a challenge, so by providing your employees with interesting work that asks them to get outside their comfort zone and take risks, and lets them make mistakes and fail, you are likely to get these workers’ attention.
3. Give them opportunities. Do you give your employees multiple paths to explore when taking on a project, or find ways for their work to have an impact on the organization as a whole? Demonstrate to job seekers that you encourage employees to do work that is meaningful and and makes a difference outside of your organization. Do you give employees opportunities to further their training, brush up on their skills, or learn new disciplines outside of their current role to help them grow both inside and out of work?
4. Support their lifestyle. Recognize the importance their life outside of work has to them, and understand that they have often strong, close connections with their families (Kesher gave the example of parents calling to ask why their son or daughter got a bad review example, or dropping off a resume for their child — it happens more than you might think). Offer flexibility in your benefits, and realize that for many Gen Y workers, the line between work and personal life has blurred. Work happens at home, and vice versa — does your organization support a flexible workplace?
5. Embody diversity. Show it, don’t just talk about it! Demonstrate to potential employees how diversity integrates with your organization’s mission – but be authentic. Job seekers can see right through empty words; be true to your values by actually being a diverse workplace.
6. Reinforce your mission. Show job seekers the “why” – why is the work your organization does important to the rest of world? What is the larger context of the projects you take on, or of your core business? Reinforce your mission constantly, and help workers find connections to others in the organization through social media, your website, or in-person interactions.

… And 5 ways to retain them:

1. Make them feel at home the first day. This does not mean simply showing them the employee handbook, their cubicle, bathroom code, and then leaving them alone. Plan on a longer orientation duration than in the past. Establish personal connections with employees — and continue building those relationships throughout your employees’ tenure.
2. Give them feedback. They want more rather than less, and they want it sooner rather than later. Recognize everything employees are doing, and give them honest and open feedback. Waiting five years to get to the next step in an organization isn’t realistic anymore, Kesher pointed out — so provide them with the tools they need for success and career advancement. Give employees more chances for lateral development by helping them learn new skills, get new certifications, and expand their knowledge base.
3. Allow them to fail! Define clear expectations for tasks and projects, give them incremental goals along the way, and find ways to connect the work they’re doing to their personal values and goals. Let them stretch their boundaries, make mistakes, and learn from them — and most of all, listen to your employees. They want to give you input, so make it easier on them by asking for it where you can, and being available as a resource and mentor.
4. Again, listen. Pay attention to them (they’re going to talk to you a lot), be aware of their personal goals, and lead horizontally. They’re living in a world of connectedness and entitled communication; hierarchy isn’t as built into their mindset as it is in generations past. Try to be their leader without looking down on them.
5. Connect with them. Get to know them and what they’re all about (and hey, maybe even their helicopter parents, too). If you want respect from Gen Y workers, you have to give it. Many Gen Y workers feel misunderstood by their peers or their leaders; by working to connect with them and encouraging other employees to do the same, you will begin to chip away at the negative Gen Y stereotypes that are actually hindering generational progress in the workplace.

 Moving forward, together

During the session, a Gen Y professional raised her hand and pointed out that as an HR professional, she’s noticed a lot of overly negative critiques of Gen Y workers. She wondered why we couldn’t focus on the positive traits of Gen Y to hook into as a great resource — a great point, and one that Kesher drove home in his presentation.

After all, every time we think another generation doesn’t have something we have, Kesher said, we’re stereotyping. Every generation has boundaries and a work ethic — they may just happen to be different than ours.

But isn’t the fact that such a multitude of perspectives, ideas, backgrounds and behaviors exist what makes the workplace so great?

Being perceived as a hoarder may cost workers a promotion, new CareerBuilder survey shows

It may get you a cameo on a TLC reality show, but hoarding don’t do nothing for your career, y’all.

A new, very scientific survey by CareerBuilder shows hoarding can have a negative impact on your career.  Nearly three-in-ten (28 percent) employers say they are less likely to promote someone who has a disorganized or messy work space.

This doesn’t bode well for the 33 percent of workers – men and women equally – who say they tend to be hoarders. And even though companies have shifted to a more digital workplace, more than half of workers (51 percent) say they still love killing trees have paper files in their office/desk.

But let’s back up a touch, shall we? What exactly makes someone a hoarder? Survey says…

• 38 percent say that, currently, between 50 to 100 percent of their desk surface is covered with work and other materials, while 16 percent of workers said 75 percent or more of their desk is covered. For shame!!
• 36 percent of workers say they have paper files from more than a year ago, 13 percent have files that are five years or older and six percent have files dating back more than 10 years. Heathens.

Is it really that big a deal? Well, yes, according to the survey. It seems employers don’t think any more of hoarders than they do of tattooed employees.

Nearly two-in-five employers (38 percent) say piles of paper covering a desk negatively impacted their perception of that person; 27 percent feel they are disorganized, while 16 percent say they are just messy.

Public service announcement: If you or someone you know is a hoarder, there IS help.

Rosemary Haefner, CareerBuilder’s Vice President of Human Resources, offers the following tips to get your work area organized:

• Schedule time with the office recycle bin –Set a calendar reminder for Friday afternoon to take completed projects to the recycle bin.

• Work on one project at a time – While you may have 20 things on your “to do” list, prioritize what needs to be done that day when you arrive at work and take care of one project at a time.

• Don’t be a digital hoarder – Just because nobody else can see your clutter, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, especially in your email boxes. Delete unneeded emails on a weekly basis.

Please, share these tips with a friend or loved one.

Okay, I kid, but do you tend to have the same views as the employers who say they view hoarders as disorganized? If so, are you doing anything to address the situation?

“When you sincerely believe in what you do, your employees recognize that.” – James D. Speros

In the following interview, James D. Speros, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Fidelity, discusses the role trust and integrity play in an organization’s success, a leader’s role in setting the bar for innovation and creativity, and going beyond ‘rocket flare’ to connect with people.

How have you leveraged your brand to grow your business?
By making sure all our employees understand what the Fidelity brand stands for. There’s a lot of education and communication that we do internally.  It’s not just a simple what I would call ‘rocket flare’ where you do it once and then you walk away from it. There’s ongoing communication and activity throughout the year connecting people to the tenets of the brand, letting people express what the brand means to them and how they live the brand with every interaction.

We also surround the organization visually with the green line, the simple metaphor for guidance in navigation.  My fundamental philosophy is, “Leadership is the art of achieving results through people.”  You can’t do it all yourself.  You have to rely on your people to deliver on the brand promise and deliver results for the organization.  [The role of the] leader is to provide the vision for where you need to get to, and be the champion for innovation and creativity.

What are the most important leadership lessons you’ve learned?  Or what are the most important leadership principles that guide you?
The most important leadership lesson I’ve learned is very simple: Treating people like people, the way you would like to be treated, regardless of background; providing encouragement; and giving people the opportunity to express their opinions without fear of criticism.  It’s so important to hold these values close to you and believe in them at all times.  People can see through corporate messaging, and when you sincerely believe in what you do, your employees recognize that.

How would you define the Fidelity culture and the impact that you have on creating that culture within Fidelity?
I would describe the culture of the organization first and foremost as one of very high integrity.  The most precious asset we have with our client base is trust.  We have one of the most trusted brands in financial services.  And trust is something you earn, not something you assert.  You earn it by acting consistently with integrity.

I think another aspect of the Fidelity culture is its sharp focus on professionalism and excellence. That informs the brand and how our associates interact and how our associates interact with each other and with our customers: integrity, professionalism and excellence.  Every single person who comes in the door needs to get inoculated with those cultural attributes, because they become brand ambassadors for the company.

As a service organization, your employees are as much as the brand ambassador as a television commercial.  Do you do anything particularly within their training and development to empower them to feel that way?
Yes.  From the moment people walk in the door here, they go through a very rigorous onboarding process.  Everyone learns about the history of the brand and its tenets.  I don’t think there’s a single person who would ever say this isn’t a company is founded on integrity, and it starts right with Mr. Johnson himself and the whole family.  This is a privately held company, and that integrity comes from the top down.

How are you, as the CMO, involved in your overall talent strategy and the priority of that strategy within the organization?
The employment brand starts with the fundamental reputation of the company.

So marketing clearly plays a role in shaping our reputation and projecting it externally. And it’s not just marketing; it’s our public relations work, our philanthropy, and, most importantly, every interaction with our customers to create a superior customer experience.

ABOUT JAMES D. SPEROS: James D. Speros is executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Fidelity Personal & Workplace Investing, a unit of Fidelity Investments. In this role, Mr. Speros is responsible for leading a team of 200 associates and directing the development of advertising, online marketing, media planning & buying, branding, direct marketing, collateral development and mobile marketing. Prior to joining Fidelity, Mr. Speros’ previous roles included serving as senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Marsh & McLennan Companies, as chief marketing officer for the U.S. Division of Ernst & Young LLP and as vice president, Advertising and Marketing Communications at AT&T Corporation. Considered one of the top thought leaders in marketing and advertising circles, Mr. Speros has been actively involved in numerous industry organizations, including the Association of National Advertisers, the Advertising Council and BPA International. Mr. Speros earned his bachelor of business administration degree in marketing from Bernard M. Baruch College in New York City, and holds an Advanced Management Certificate from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

ABOUT FIDELITY: Fidelity Investments is one of the world’s largest providers of financial services, with assets under administration of $3.7 trillion, including managed assets of more than $1.6 trillion, as of May 31, 2011. Founded in 1946, the firm is a leading provider of investment management, retirement planning, portfolio guidance, brokerage, benefits outsourcing and many other financial products and services to more than 20 million individuals and institutions, as well as through 5,000 financial intermediary firms. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit www.fidelity.com.

It’s common knowledge that getting the customer experience right is critical to business growth. So why do so many businesses still get it wrong? I recently had the opportunity to sit down with business expert and New York Times bestselling author Tim Sanders to talk about effective customer experience and customer relationship management strategies and how these apply to the staffing and recruiting industry.

The always insightful Sanders discussed how an ever-evolving business landscape calls for change — not just within the organization, but among managers themselves. He has been instumental in teaching me strategies necessary to drive organizational change, the ways to identify when change is needed and solutions for overcoming any challenges along the way. I’m thrilled to share some additional points that made me rethink my leadership style and how I conduct business.

An Interview with Tim Sanders:

Gilpin: In your best-selling novel, Love is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends, you teach your readers what it means to become a lovecat. How could staffing and recruiting firms benefit from practicing business the lovecat way?

Sanders: When I say that someone is a business lovecat, I mean that she is successful because she’s focused on growing relationships through giving. She creates success in other people’s lives, and they in turn bring incredible opportunities into hers. It’s a virtuous circle. Of course, this is easier said than done. For many, we believe that business is a dogeat- dog world, where few can really be trusted. For staffing and recruiting firms, the secret then is to focus on helping your end customers succeed – both at the enterprise and professional level.

If, for example, you mentor your clients on the market, the playing field and the industry, you will expand your relationship. This leads to loyalty, better information for future RFPs, forgiveness when things go wrong and a host of other business benefits.

In short, don’t just sell solutions, sell relationship driven solutions.

Gilpin: Your most recent book, Today We Are Rich: Harnessing the Power of Total Confidence, explains the importance of confidence on both a personal and professional level. Do you think these principles apply to professionals in an industry in which technology is used increasingly in place of human interaction?

Sanders: When you possess a confident business outlook, you’ll embrace new technologies and leverage them. If you are just ‘trying to get by’, you’ll hold on to legacy ways of doing things and fear anything that requires an investment of time or money. I’ve learned that confidence is the key to being innovative and current.

For many staffing and recruiting professionals, the last few years might have sucked the confidence out of you – dealing with customers that were more concerned with price than value (convenience, quality, speed). This might impact the quality of your relationships internally or with customers, where you’ve become transactional.

To move the conversation forward again (from problems to solutions) is to move the business forward again. The good news is that the recession is an equal opportunity fear machine – as bad as you have it, your competitors have it just the same. Whoever gets their ‘mojo’ back first is likely to be the disrupter not the disrupted.

Gilpin: What are a few of the main pieces of advice for indiviudals working within the staffing and recruiting industry?

Sanders:

• You must feed your mind good stuff. Reduce the Chicken Little talk. Increase your professional development and innovation research.
• Move the conversation forward. Focus on the solutions required by your customers and what your company can bring to bear on them.
• Invest in relationships. Program mentoring and networking into your ‘Customer Relationship Management’ approach.
• Measure business success beyond your balance sheet. Look at the difference you make for the customer’s business instead.

For more great advice from Tim Sanders, join our Staffing Leadership Webinar Series: Experience Matters led by Sanders, follow him on Twitter (@SandersSays) check out his blog at http://sanderssays.typepad.com/.

About Tim Sanders:

Tim Sanders is more than a keynote speaker; his real world experience, research savvy and deep understanding of the human condition make him an indispensable consultant to some of the biggest brands in the world. His Los Angeles based company, Deeper Media, conducts research on business trends, new media and human behavior.

As a bestselling author, leadership coach, and former Yahoo! executive, Tim Sanders is one of today’s most prominent advocates for building business success through sharing your knowledge, network, and compassion with your business partners. His most recent book, Today We Are Rich – Harnessing the Power of Total Confidence, shows how Sanders learned The Lovecat Way.  His work is frequently featured in the media, most recently in The New York Times, Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal and Fast Company.

“We believe in a concept called ‘shadow of the leader.’ We have huge amounts of transparency and communication with employees, and it starts at the top of the organization. ” – LeighAnne Baker

In the following interview, The Hertz Corporation Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer LeighAnne Baker discusses the Hertz concept of transparent communication and how the organization reinforces its employment brand to attract ‘best in class’ talent.

What is your philosophy as it relates to people and their impact on your daily business?
At Hertz we believe that the only long-term, sustainable, competitive advantage that a company can have is its people. This also includes the processes of how you get the work done in organizations. Competitive advantages like technology and supply can all be copied; you can’t copy the people side. At a company like Hertz that has 75,000 transactions a day, that equals 75,000 touch points to customers. That’s where the brand promise is delivered.

How do you engage and relate to your employees, and how do you spread that culture throughout the organization?
We believe in a concept called “shadow of the leader.” We have huge amounts of transparency and communication with employees, and it starts at the top of the organization. Site visits are also very much a part of the culture, where we do skip level meetings to understand what the issues are, what’s going well and what’s not going well. They’re actually part of the CEO’s personal objectives with the board, so there is close follow-up to understand exactly what the employees are telling us. We also have a communication tool kit that all managers receive in order to get a consistent message out to all employees. Finally, we use a third party to facilitate an internal survey to better understand our employees. The survey focuses on three platforms (asset management, customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction), and helps us keep a pulse on where employees are on the satisfaction scale.

How would you define the Hertz culture and personally communicate that within your group?
Loyalty, integrity and service are what made Hertz a “best in class” company. When you’re at Hertz, you feel that sense of being a family, and we want to make sure that we continue to build on that. We also want to make sure we reward performance properly by encouraging continuous improvement through transparent communication. We constantly look at ways to improve our operations, especially through the eyes of the customer. Finally, personal accountability is important to Hertz, going back to linking pay and performance and holding people accountable for what they say they’re going to do.

What do you do to reinforce your employment brand? How do you drive that through the organization and make sure it’s consistent?
Every quarter we have a company wide employee webcast with the CEO. It’s not just about what’s going on from the financial viewpoint for the last quarter; there is also a lot of time spent talking about customers and employees. We’re continuing to show people we are serious about all three of those building blocks: assets, customers and employees.

If you had to pick one, what’s the most fundamental skill or attribute in hiring someone to be a good fit at Hertz?
I can’t pick one word, but certainly self-awareness to understand Hertz’s mission and your role in trying to push the company forward. All of us – the 23,000 full-time employees and the 8,000 part-time – own the Hertz brand and the image that we have. We can never lose sight of it, and our employees need to be willing to step up and take accountability for whatever’s going on and whatever is in their part of the business.

What advice would you give to your executive peers – whether it relates to leadership or life in general?
If I were going to use two words, they would be “lead boldly.” Especially where the global economy is at this time, leaders have to be bold. From an HR perspective, you have to understand the business talk, have the financial acumen and understand the business strategy. Together, these concepts make you truly understand the people side of the business. I spent a lot of time my first few years on leadership issues, but now I’m focused more on the first-line manager. My goal is that, two years down road, we’ll have this reputation of being a management powerhouse.

ABOUT LEIGHANN BAKER: As Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer for The Hertz Corporation, LeighAnne Baker is responsible for the development and administration of personnel programs affecting Hertz employees worldwide. She also oversees the development and implementation of talent identification and management programs as well as employee development and satisfaction initiatives. Before joining Hertz, Ms. Baker served as Senior Vice President – Global Human Resources, and a Member of the Executive Committee of The Reynolds & Reynolds Company, a leading provider of information technology, software solutions and professional services to the automotive retailing market. Ms. Baker earned a master’s degree in management from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, a master’s in business administration from Ashlan University and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Capital University.

ABOUT HERTZ.: Hertz is the world’s largest general use airport car rental brand, operating from approximately 8,500 locations in 146 countries worldwide. Hertz is the number one airport car rental brand in the U.S. and at 83 major airports in Europe, operating both corporate and licensee locations in cities and airports in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and the Middle East. Hertz also operates Connect by Hertz global car sharing club, Advantage Rent A Car in the U.S., and Hertz Equipment Rental Corporation, one of the world’s largest equipment rental businesses.

If you’ve seen the movie Horrible Bosses, I’m hoping you did it because you lost a bet/got your money back/at least enjoyed your popcorn didn’t recognize yourself in any of the film’s managers, played by Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey and Colin Farrell.

If you’re not familiar with the film, which opened nationwide on Friday, here’s the gist: Three friends (played by Jason Sudeikis, Jason Bateman and Charlie Day), trapped in terrible jobs but afraid to quit due to the economy, plot to kill each others’ …wait for it…horrible bosses.  As you can guess (unless you’ve never seen a Hollywood film ever), things don’t go exactly as planned, and hilarity ensues. (Or at least I’m sure what the director had in mind.)

For the most part, Horrible Bosses is a complete waste of an otherwise entertaining cast – and viewers’ time; however, if there’s one redeeming quality about the movie, it’s the lesson it teaches in what not to do as a manager.  Despite the absurd characters and storyline, the movie brings to light one important truth: Many employers take unfair advantage of their employees’ work and time, falsely believing their employees are simply grateful to have a job.

Aside from the obvious offenses – blackmail, public humiliation, sexual abuse, cocaine-and-hooker benders – Horrible Bosses also reveals some not-so-obvious habits real-life managers need to break now (lest they don’t want to stay managers for long).

Five Habits of Horrible Bosses
Do any of these characteristics describe you?

1. You over promise and under deliver. You may think you’re motivating your employees by encouraging them to work for a promotion or raise that you know is never going to happen. (Hey, as long as it makes them more productive, right? And isn’t the satisfaction of knowing you did a good job enough?) But you can’t dangle that carrot in front of them forever, and when they catch on, they won’t see what you did as motivating – they’ll see it as manipulative.
2. “Because” is not in your vocabulary. Don’t leave your employees in the dark when it comes to business decisions – especially those that affect them directly. If they’re not getting a promotion or raise, give them a reason why – a real reason. You’d be surprised how understanding they can be; otherwise, they’re going to assume the worst – both about you and the company.
3. You don’t ask for feedback.  As a boss, you may feel like you need to have all the answers, all the time. (There’s a reason you’re in charge and they aren’t, right?) But you’re not always going to have the right answers. Or the best ideas. You’re just not…which is why you need to hear ideas – even arguments – from your employees’ perspective as often as possible. They’re not necessarily going to have the right answers, either, but they will have valuable insight that you can always use.
4. You do ask for feedback…but that’s all you do. What’s the point of employee surveys if you’re not actually using the results to change or improve some aspect of the business – and communicating your efforts to them. Otherwise, you’re not only wasting everyone’s time, you’re sending the message that your employees’ ideas don’t matter – and nothing kills morale more.
5. You take credit for their work. Sure, maybe a lot of victories are ‘team efforts’, but when you fail to recognize people for their individual contributions, you’re telling them, “I probably could’ve done this without you.” Give credit where it’s due…before you lose all the people who deserve it.

CAREERBUILDER PRODUCT ENHANCEMENT: Introducing ResumeFlip!

Sorting through resumes just got a little more exciting (sorry, we can’t help but get a bit geeked out by this new product enhancement). With just the click of a mouse, you can easily flip from one resume to the next. You’ll view full, complete resumes – the way candidates want you to see them – instead of just generic-looking resume summaries.

Get ResumeFlip free when you subscribe to Resume Database!
CareerBuilder’s Resume Database contains millions of resumes from candidates across nearly every industry, skill level, and geography. Narrow or widen your search based on various search agents to find the candidate that’s right for you. And with 15,000 new resumes added every month, the Resume Database candidate pool is always plentiful and fresh.

ResumeFlip Features and Benefits:

• Free with a Resume Database subscription
• Full-screen resume views – not just summaries
• One-click technology to flip quickly and easily from resume to resume
• Keyword highlighting and ratings features show the highest matching resumes
• User-friendly buttons to automatically email, forward, print or download resumes
• Easy “Like” buttons to save favored resumes

All current Resume Database customers now have access to ResumeFlip. Go ahead, give it a try and let us know what you think!

A key success factor in this business is attracting, recruiting and retaining the best people. Period.

In the following interview, Physiotherapy Associates CEO Dan Connors discusses how people have an impact on business on a day-to-day basis, the link between passion and performance, and the key to finding and retaining great people.

What is your philosophy about your employees and the impact that they have on the business? 

I’m sure every business says this, but in our business especially, our people are the most important asset we have and, really, the only thing that drives our business.  We have 650 clinics around the country.  Our Associates help patients improve their quality of life through rehabilitation, be it to treat a traumatic injury, improve post-surgical recovery, or gain greater flexibility and mobility. Much like a professional services firm, our people are our only asset. We place a very high level of importance on our Associates by recruiting the right people and making a conscious effort to retain them.

What type of person do you look for in an employee?

First, we have licensure requirements.  Physical therapists are licensed in the given states in which they will be treating patients.  In addition, we look for someone who is passionate for this profession.  This is a caregiving business, so having someone who is emphatic toward other people is extremely important. We also look for someone who is very results-oriented for two reasons: First, physical therapy is about obtaining results for the patient, and that needs to be the whole mindset of the caregiver. Second, we look for people who enjoy the business end of physical therapy. The clinic directors in each of our locations have the comfort of running their own businesses, hiring their own staffs and being responsible for their own profit and loss, all in the context of the foundation, support and financial stability of a large organization.

How do you tie those personality traits to office performance?

The quality of our Associates is directly tied to the performance of our clinics. We have clinics that have been in our upper quartile, performance-wise, for years because of the quality Associates there.Likewise, when we bring strong new talent to an under-performing clinic, our results improve dramatically. Our business is 100 percent people dependent.

How much time are you able to spend with the employees of this organization? 

There’s never enough time! It is one of the challenges of a distributed organization like ours.  I try to visit around 50 or so of our clinics yearly, and it’s one of my favorite things to do. But we also make sure to supplement these visits with both formal and informal communication channels. First, every person in the company knows they can pick up the phone and call or email me directly…and plenty do! We try to be very informal and encourage everyone to communicate with each other, and we also have formal channels as well to ensure constant, consistent communication with our Associates.

Can you tell me about the “Be the Best @ Physio” program?

A key success factor in this business is attracting, recruiting and retaining the best people. Period. So we take a very decided and holistic approach to our relationship with our Associates. “Be the Best @ Physio” is a program comprised of six different pillars: communication; compensation and benefits; community service; work environment; career path; and rewards and recognition.  Those pillars make up the basis of our relationship with our Associates. We have both informal and formal things we do weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually under each of these pillars to ensure that we have the best relationship possible with our Associates.

What’s the most important leadership decision you’ve made?

That’s relatively easy.  It’s a decision that I always try to make at some point in my tenure with a company, and that is to be the best company in our industry.  It’s a decision that you don’t take lightly, because it has ramifications, but we decided as a management team that we want to be the best in our business.  We committed with eyes open as to what that means in terms of personal commitment of time and going the extra mile.  In many ways, it’s very liberating because it makes some decisions very easy. For example, hiring decisions become easier when you will only settle for a world-class candidate, and decisions to invest in the latest technologies become easier. It’s challenging, but it’s very energizing, too! For our organization, “good enough” is never good enough. Our goal is to be the best provider in the outpatient rehabilitation and O&P space, and we’re excited to have the opportunity to make that happen.

ABOUT DAN CONNORS: As Chief Executive Officer of Physiotherapy Associates, Dan leverages the company’s strong foundation of clinical care to establish it as the clear leader in the outpatient rehabilitation and orthotics and prosthetics industry. Dan has more than 25 years of experience in leading customer-centric businesses. Prior to Physiotherapy Associates, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Wire One Communications, Inc., where he led the company’s turnaround and its sale to British Telecom. Dan began his business career with Bain & Company and has held executive positions with HQ Global Workplaces, Inc. and Wang Laboratories, Inc, and FedEx Kinko’s. Before pursuing a career in business, Dan was a lawyer for a prominent Washington D.C. law firm and in the Air Force General Counsel’s Office at The Pentagon. Dan earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Notre Dame and his MBA from The Wharton School. He also holds law degrees from Georgetown University and The Ohio State University.

ABOUT PHYSIOTHERAPY ASSOCIATES: As the nation’s foremost provider of outpatient rehabilitation services, Physiotherapy Associates employs an industry-leading team of physical therapists and healthcare practitioners who are dedicated to high-quality patient care. With a comprehensive set of services – including physical therapy, occupational therapy, sports medicine, industrial rehabilitation, craniofascial therapy, women’s health, pre-op rehabilitation, and orthotics and prosthetics – the company’s clinics are well-equipped to treat millions of patients who have a wide variety of conditions. All Physiotherapy Associates clinics are staffed by licensed physical therapists who provide individualized plans of treatment for patients. Providing one-on-one care to patients continues to be the hallmark of the company. With more than 600 clinics, Physiotherapy Associates is national in scope, local in care.

It’s the question on everyone’s mind (no, not “What are William and Kate talking about this very instant? or “Why did Michelle Obama eat a burger?“), but — where are the jobs? CareerBuilder’s just-released list, pulled from CareerBuilder’s Supply and Demand Portal data from the past six months, gives us some insight into just that.

The latest Supply and Demand Portal data reveals industries and positions where, for a multitude of reasons, there is a growing gap in the number of workers needed to fill job openings. We’ve already seen evidence that  47 percent of employers plan to hire full-time workers in the last six months of this year — and some U.S. regions are more promising more than others. By understanding the labor demand in particular markets and the ways in which talent pools grow or shrink depending on that demand, you can more effectively guide your recruitment strategy in terms of employment brand, compensation and overall advertising strategy.

CareerBuilder’s Supply and Demand Portal helps you be smarter by giving you real-time access to 1) the availability of active talent for any position (supply), and 2) where you will find the most and least competition for that talent (demand).

As CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson says:

“The Supply & Demand portal enables employers to gain valuable market insights to develop more productive and cost-effective recruitment strategies. More than one-third of human resource managers we surveyed said they currently have positions for which they can’t find qualified candidates, a trend that continues to grow as the economy recovers and job prospects improve.  While the U.S. still has a very competitive job market, there are areas within technology, health care and other fields that have a growing deficit in talent.”

So, without further adieu, the hottest industries with growing demand for workers:

1. Cloud Developer
   
   • Supply v. Demand: 0.32 active job seekers for every job opening (in other words, there are three open positions for every one available job seeker).
     
   • Average Salary: $100,000
     
   • What Gives? Career opportunities in this space have multiplied with the exponential growth of data and the corresponding need to store and manage it.  Demand will continue to grow as companies look to increase capacity and function without having to build new infrastructure.
2. Business Intelligence Analyst
   
   • Supply v. Demand: 1.01 active job seekers for every job opening
   • Average Salary:  $98,000
   • What Gives? This hybrid position that combines technical know-how with business and market insights is becoming increasingly critical as companies place a greater emphasis on business analytics.  Companies are using the value they have in their existing data streams and warehouses to make smarter business decisions and create better tools for customers.
3. Registered Nurse
   
   • Supply v. Demand: 0.38 active job seekers for every job opening
     
   • Average Salary: $65,000 
   • What Gives? A staple on lists of worker shortages, nursing is one of the most challenging areas for recruitment. In addition to a growing demand for healthcare services, enrollment in nursing schools is trending down due to a lack of nursing faculty.
4. Quality Engineer
   
   • Supply v. Demand: 1.05 active job seekers for every job opening. 
   • Average Salary:  $68,000
   • What Gives? The manufacturing sector is making a comeback as the economy recovers and exports grow stronger to meet the needs of emerging markets.
5. Truck Driver
   • Supply v Demand: 1.37 active job seekers for every job opening 
   • Average Salary:  $41,000
     
   • What Gives? While life on the road has distinct advantages, extended time away from home, long hours on your own and dealing with traffic are among challenges that can make these positions hard to fill.
6. SEO Strategist
   
   • Supply v. Demand: 1.75 active job seekers for every job opening
     
   • Average Salary:  $70,000
     
   • What Gives? With high Internet penetration in markets across the globe, there is greater need for individuals who can bring more traffic to company websites by elevating their ranking in unpaid and paid search engine results pages.  Companies with a large Internet presence are bringing these skills in-house to build effective and relevant sites.
7. Health Care Administrator
   
   • Supply v. Demand: 2.25 active job seekers for every job opening
     
   • Average Salary:  $88,000
     
   • What Gives? An aging population and more than 30 million newly insured Americans post-health care reform are fueling the need for more medical services and professionals who can keep operations flowing smoothly.

More about the data:

• CareerBuilder’s Supply & Demand portal pulls data from national employment resources like CareerBuilder.com, Wanted Analytics and EMSI (Economic Modeling Specialists Inc.), accessing more than 45 million jobs, 40 million resumes and 140 million worker profiles.
• Based on the number of available jobs and available candidates, the portal identifies occupations and corresponding markets with the greatest supply and under-supply of candidates.

You can check out the full report here.

 Is your company looking for employees in any of these fields — or where are you having a challenging time finding workers?

You might call it the biggest anticipated iTunes release since The Beatles…

Today, CareerBuilder announced the release of its CareerBuilder for Employers iPhone app – available for a free download on iTunes.

Job seekers have long been using CareerBuilder’s original iPhone app to search for jobs on their mobile phones, but now there’s a place in the app world for employers, too. CareerBuilder for Employers gives employers access to job candidates anywhere, at any time directly from their mobile device. The application, called CareerBuilder for Employers, is available for download at iTunes.

“Being able to reach potential employees wherever you are provides a whole new level of speed, efficiency and convenience to recruitment,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America, in today’s release. “Our new app is designed to help employers quickly connect with the fast-growing population of mobile job seekers and get a leg up on the competition for talent.”

App Features and Benefits
CareerBuilder’s new app enables employers to sync directly to their existing CareerBuilder accounts and provides the following features:

• Employers can call, email, or send a letter to the applicant directly from their iPhone
• Employers can save a candidate to a folder in their CareerBuilder account for later review
• Employers can flip through applicants by swiping left or right on the application or use the page button at the top right
• Employers can receive push notifications when new applications are available for review

Best of all, the app is free to everyone who wants to use it.

Speaking of (Free) Mobile Recruitment Resources…
feel, ahem, free to download our new eBook, The Evolution of Mobile Recruitment: What It Is, Why It Matters and Where to Start.

Resume mishaps, interview no-no’s and follow-up faux pas…

We’ve all witnessed some degree of embarrassment – be it our own or others’ – when it comes to job search process. And last night’s #cbjobchat presented the perfect opportunity to reflect on these experiences.

As you may recall, #cbjobchat is our monthly Twitter chat, bringing together both job seekers and career experts, and dedicated to addressing today’s most pressing recruitment process questions.

What was interesting about last night’s chat was that a lot of the mistakes discussed were by no means exclusive to job seekers. In fact, a lot of recruiting experts could stand to listen to this advice as well…How so? Check out some of night’s best #cbjobchat sound bytes – from job seeker offenses to words of advice – and then see how recruiters and hiring mangers can apply these insights to their own jobs:

• @RecruitingMegan A big one I run into a LOT–talking too much in the interview, not letting the interviewer lead conversation!This advice applies to interviewers as well. Know the difference between leading the conversation and dominating it. Most people go by the 20/80 rule, in which the interviewer should only be doing 20 percent of the talking, and leaving the rest to the candidate.
• @incblot: Being inauthentic or trying to gloss over weaknesses.Admit it: Recruiters and hiring managers are guilty of this, too. We know you want great candidates, but intentionally misleading candidates to make a position or opportunity sound more glamorous than it is bad for business (and possibly karma).
• @DawnBugni First and foremost KNOW what the company does. I’ve interviewed people who didn’t even know what the company did.Isn’t it annoying when a candidate hasn’t taken the time to find out what your organization does? Think about how annoyed candidates must feel when you haven’t taken the time to review their resumes before the interview. Doesn’t exactly make them feel wanted…
• @RecruitingMegan I see people try to cram it all onto one page, and then I see people include every job they’ve held… everKinda’ just makes you want to gloss over the application and toss it aside, huh? That’s exactly the same reaction job seekers have when they see cluttered, unorganized job postings with too much irrelevant information. If applications aren’t coming in, take a look at your job posting and ask yourself, “Would I bother reading all of this?”
• @tombolt The candidate experience is all about setting expectations. If applicants are not told the rules for follow-up etc. Always ask.Don’t want candidates harassing you with pesky follow up calls and emails? Set the ground rules during the interview for when they should expect to hear from you (and when they should effectively move on).
• @Ashley_Beste I recommend bringing any material that sets you apart. Letters of Recommendation, Projects, Research!Just as the candidate is trying to win you over, you’re doing the same for them. Always go into interviews (or networking events, career fairs, etc.) prepared to discuss all the things that make your organization unique – the benefits you offer, the special things you do for employees, opportunities for advancement – all the things that are going to put your organization at the top of their ‘most desireable’ list.

Got something to add or an idea for a future chat? Feel free to add your two cents in the comments section below – or on Twitter using the #cbjobchat hashtag.

Thanks again to all who participated last night. And feel free to join us the first Monday night of every month at 7 p.m. Central. We’ll post reminders and details for upcoming chats on our Facebook and Twitter accounts, so make sure you’re following us!

This afternoon, social media strategist and business consultant Amber Naslund again lent her expertise to CareerBuilder’s small business clients – this time by hosting the free webinar, Social Media for Small Businesses.

Over the course of the hour, Naslund discussed why and how small businesses can apply the lessons of her book, The Now Revolution: 7 Shifts to Make Your Business Faster, Smarter and More Social, to engage both customers and employees and see bottom line results.

As always, Naslund was the perfect mix of energizing and insightful, offering useful tips and strategies that small business across every industry can apply to their organizations.  Check out some of the major takeaways from the presentation, and then go here to download the complete webinar.

Top Takeaways: 7 Social Media Tips for Small Businesses

1. Hire for Culture, Train for Skills. Naslund says we tend to do the opposite: hire for skills, figuring we can embroider people into the culture later. But the problem is that we don’t get people who are enthusiastic this way, who share in the mission of the company, who have a vested interest in the company and make for passionate brand ambassadors. Remember that your employees are your “unofficial marketing army…Harness their enthusiasm first,” Naslund says. “You can teach them the rest.”
2. Bad Feedback Can Be Your Best Friend. Ignoring – or trying to avoid – negative feedback is a fruitless effort. For one thing, people are going to talk about your organization – good or bad – no matter what. Secondly, getting negative feedback, reviews or comments can actually be a good thing, because it provides insight into what organizations can fix or do better. The advantage of social media is how it enables us to find out things people are saying that they might not necessarily call or email customer service about.
3. Don’t Relegate Social Media to One Part of the Business. Every department should play a role in social media – not just certain ones like communications or customer service. Figure out how social media can support the business goals across all departments. Every department – whether directly or indirectly – can support the company using social media.
4. There is No “Magic Number.” Numbers tend to be meaningless if you don’t put goals around them. You may have a high Klout score, thousands of connections or loads of fans and followers, but “the reality is none of those things mean anything unless they’re supporting a business goal that is agnostic of social media,” Naslund says. If you’re actually engaging fans in a way that drives them to take action – such as buying a products or services – then you’re doing something right because you’ve created a goal around it. Otherwise, a fan in and of itself means nothing.
5. Today, Social Media is a Job. Soon, It Will Be a Skill. Consider how there used to be an entire set of workers who just specialized in typing. That was a job in and of itself. Now, typing is a skill everyone has, that is essential to their job function.  Soon, social media will be the same way.
6. It’s Okay to Say, “I’m Sorry.” Saying “I’m sorry” [over Twitter, on Facebook, etc.] to someone who’s complaining about some aspect of your business doesn’t necessarily mean you’re accepting blame. It shows you’re listening. And oftentimes, that’s all people need: to feel validated. People are incredibly forgiving when they know they’re being heard. And if it’s something that you can fix on the spot, you should absolutely do so; not only will you win over the one person who is complaining, but it’s also likely that people are watching to see how you respond.
7. Be Human. “Doing social media right has everything to do with using the infrastructure of the tools, but communicating as yourself,” Naslund says. That means listening to what people are saying and participating in conversations that do not necessarily have to do with your business. Get to know your customers and peers and let them get to know you. Be helpful without being “salesy.” Build trust, engagement and respect that turns into long-term customer loyalty.

Want to know more? For further insights, download the complete Social Media for Small Businesses now.

Editor’s Note: This concludes our five week series on the Five Ps of Recruitment Marketing (product, price, people, placement, and promotion). Special thanks to Mike Dwyer  for an afternoon conversation that inspired this series of blog posts. For a look at assessments on product, price, people and placement, view my previous posts.

Promotion involves the means by which a product is communicated to, or sold, to customers. Traditionally, these aspects of marketing could include direct mail pieces, television and radio advertisements, press and demonstration events, sponsorships and celebrity endorsements, coupons and rebates, brochures, packaging, and free samples. Today, promotions involve other tactics like websites, guerilla marketing, search engine and display advertising, email, and SMS communications.

There is an unending list of ways product benefits and features can be communicated to a highly defined audience. And what’s better is that recruitment marketers can use all these same tactics to market their product: jobs and culture. Promotions are not free however, so marketers factor cost of promotions into the product’s profitability the same way you factor cost per hire.

How do you decide which are right for your target talent?

Start with the basics – the job posting and title. Is it attention-getting and appealing? Does it excite the reader and prominently feature the attributes you know motivate your target audience? Are the images thoughtfully chosen to resonate with the type of people you seek? Some companies are taking a radical new approach to conveying their employment brand or the details of a hard-to-fill position: infographics. Like a microsite or video, infographics are a popular way to convey complex ideas visually. Since each one is unique to a job, event or brand, they are simple, quick to read, and easy to share.

Beyond your careers site and job boards, where do you distribute your message?  Hiring fairs, trade publications, and employment guides are great places to find active job seekers. Reach passive candidates as well on social networks by asking employees to share the job with their friends and families. Recruiters can form one-to-one connections with passive candidate on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Run display ads on social networks and popular websites or send targeted email by defining your ideal candidate in terms of years of experience, fields of study, and current location. Even if an individual isn’t actively looking to make a career change, an aptly placed ad on Facebook where he or she socializes could spark interest.

Try this exercise: Create a mini marketing plan for a new vacancy or a tough to fill position. Profile the attributes of the talent you wish to attract and the logic behind how your plan will deliver your message effectively. Aside from a job posting, be sure to include four additional tactics you can use to reach the candidate – including how it will tie to at least one key characteristic or motivator you listed.

Bottom line: Like marketers, talent strategists must also use a diverse mix of techniques to distribute their hiring message. In a market where top talent will flock to companies with the hottest brand, a creative message sent through the right channels can make a big difference.

Before I go into today’s jobs numbers, can I just offer a word of advice to the economists out there?

Don’t play the lottery. Just don’t. You’re just not good at picking numbers lately.

Case in point? June’s Employment Situation Report, released this morning by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which shows that the economy added only 18,000 jobs last month.

Now, it doesn’t take someone who tested out of college math (thankyouverymuch) to understand that 18,000 is quite a departure from the nearly 200,000 added jobs economists predicted would be added.

(I won’t even bring up how something very similar happened with last month’s projections.)

Here’s a summary of the June Employment Situation Report:

• The U.S. economy added just 18,000 jobs in June, the fewest in eight months and far fewer than the 200,000 analysts originally anticipated.
• Private employers added 57,000 jobs, while government agencies cut 39,000 jobs.
• The unemployment rate increased from 9.1 percent to 9.2 percent, the highest it’s been since December.
• The number of unemployed Americans in rose to 14.1 million in June from 13.9 million in May.

Also like last month, the government revised the previous month’s numbers to reflect that job growth was even slower than originally thought, with only 25,000 jobs added in May (down from the 54,000 jobs reported at the time).

And just to intensify that migraine point out exactly how bad these numbers actually are for hopes of ‘recovery’ (should we still be using that word?), remember that the economy needs to add 125,000 jobs a month just to keep up with the population growth.

So, yeah…Hard to believe it’s been two years since the recession ‘officially’ ended, huh? Doesn’t it seem like never ago?

In anticipation of tomorrow’s BLS unemployment report, CareerBuilder’s CEO Matt Ferguson appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box this morning to discuss job market trends; causes of current economic uncertainty; in which job areas we’re seeing the most improvement — and much more:

According to CareerBuilder’s Mid-Year Job Forecast:

• Nearly half of U.S. employers (47 percent) plan to hire new employees in the second half of the year, up from 41% in 2010.  The number of companies hiring specifically for full-time, permanent staff rose to 35% from 28% last year.
• Customer Service, Information Technology and Sales remain the top three areas where companies say they will hire first in the back half of the year.
• More than one-third (35 percent) of employers are concerned that key talent will leave their organizations as the economy improves, a trend that has become increasingly evident over the last six months; 18% of employers reported top workers left their organizations in Q2 2011, up from 14 percent in Q1 2011.

What’s your take on the newest job forecast results and on what Matt had to say about the market?

“We often say that if you don’t love social media, you suck at social media, and that’s often true,” social media consultant and business strategist Amber Naslund recently told me over email.

She has a point: You can’t fake enthusiasm if it’s not there, and if you try, it will come across in the social space. This truth can pose a problem for employers, who find themselves in an increasingly social world where “every employee is a potential spokesperson,” as Naslund writes in The Now Revolution: 7 Shifts to Make Your Business Faster, Smarter and More Social.

One need only look at companies like Zappos, IBM and Southwest to see how employers benefit when employees blog and tweet on their behalves.  Unfortunately, not every employee is going to take an active interest in social media, and as hard as they might try, employers can’t force them to do so. Yet, if they give their employees a compelling reason to participate in social media, they won’t have to force anything.

“Employers need to educate their teams about the potential and opportunity on the web. They can show each employee how social media can relate to their jobs and make them more effective, and that’s compelling to anyone,” says Naslund, who hosts a free webinar on July 12 to discuss how small businesses can find social media success in today’s landscape.

Below, Naslund provides five more things employers need to understand about social media in order to stay competitive in today’s ever-changing business world.

The Five New Rules for Employers on Social Media

1. Above all else, you must have the desire to be successful in social media. “While businesses of every size and industry have the potential to be successful in social media, they do not always possess the desire and the willingness to do so. While an organization’s goals will ultimately determine what successful adoption of social media is  in general terms, it’s embracing the cycle of listening > responding > participating > storytelling while putting in place the internal pieces to make social media not just an add-on, but an integrated part of each piece of the business.”
2. Social media isn’t an and.  It’s an or. “Make no mistake: social media does take time and resources. But the businesses that invest  in it will find ways to adapt. “Auditing what we do already and finding the things that aren’t working anymore or that have run their course can free up people, time, and budget to put toward progressive ideas like social media. We learned to adapt to the phone, to the emergence of the web, and to email.”
   
3. Social media is not going anywhere. “Organizations that don’t adapt to social media aren’t doomed to fail; however, there’s no question that they are missing opportunities. And if their customers, partners, and peers aren’t driving them to adopt it now, they soon will. We used to argue whether or not we needed websites, and now not having one is inconceivable. The same will soon be said about social media.”
4. Listen first, decide later. “You don’t need to be on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn to be successful in social media. At its core, social “media” is anything on the web that allows for interaction and engagement. Think about forums, blogs, video, audio (like podcasts), even mainstream news sites that allow for comment and discourse. Where you need to be all depends on the outcome of your listening strategy. Where are the people who you want to talk to? If they’re connecting on forums, be there. If you have an active blogging industry, get out there and start commenting and writing. Listening first is the guide to finding your best outposts on the web.”
5. Social media is the means. Not the end. “It’s important to understand that, as my co-author Jay [Baer] says, the goal is not to be good at social media. The goal is to be good at business, and social media can support that. Organizations need to focus on how to integrate social media and make it an operational part of their business. Social media isn’t easy, and it isn’t fast, but it can transform the way people work and do business for the better.”

Want to know more? Join CareerBuilder and Amber Naslund for a free webinar: Social Media for Small Business. Learn what you need to know now to grow your business by leveraging new social technologies. Tuesday, July 12 at 1 p.m. CST. Register today.

There’s good news (Justin Timberlake may save MySpace!), disappointing news (we’ll probably never get Friendster back), and news that makes us want to hug a stranger on the street: Despite ongoing concerns over threats to economic growth, CareerBuilder’s 2011 Mid-Year Job Forecast shows that employers remain positive in their hiring expectations for the remainder of the year. (It’s OK, you can hug that stranger on the street; we won’t judge.)

Just how positive are employers about the future of hiring, you ask?

Well, nearly half of employers (47 percent) plan to hire new employees from July through December of this year, up from 41 percent in 2010, according to the survey conducted by Harris Interactive© of more than 2,600 hiring managers and human resource professionals. (See the infographic here.)

Things are looking pretty good in other areas, too: The percentage of companies hiring is also higher than last year in some instances:

• Companies hiring full-time, permanent employees –  35 percent this year, up from 28 percent in 2010
• Companies hiring part-time employees – 15 percent this year, the same as 2010
• Companies hiring contract or temporary employees – 12 percent this year, up from 9 percent in 2010

Which jobs are hottest for hiring?

The top three job areas in which businesses plan to hire first are those that involve being on the front lines with customers, and those that drive innovation. Customer service still claims the No. 1 spot for recruitment, with information technology slightly edging out sales this year for the No. 2 ranking on the list:

1. Customer Service  |  23 percent
2. Information Technology  |  21 percent
3. Sales  |  20 percent
4. Administrative  |  15 percent
5. Business Development  |  11 percent
6. Accounting/Finance  |  10 percent
7. Marketing  |  9 percent

As CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson stressed, the U.S. is seeing job creation across the board, and though some factors may prevent a huge acceleration in hires, hiring activity doesn’t appear to be ending any time soon:

“Last year, certain sectors or departments in companies were producing jobs.  This year, the U.S. is seeing job creation in all industries, functions and company sizes,” said Ferguson.  “Our survey, listings on CareerBuilder.com, and conversations we have with employers on a daily basis all indicate that hiring activity will sustain and improve in the months to come with a diverse mix of jobs.  While higher energy prices, debt, inflation and other factors may deter a significant acceleration in hiring, employers have encouraging news for the millions of Americans who are looking for jobs.”

Hiring by region: Where are employers hiring the most employees?

There’s more news to make us look forward to the year progressing: All regions are trending above 2010 in hiring prospects for the second half of 2011, with the South leading the way in optimism:

• South: 38 percent are planning to hire full-time, permanent employees, up from 27 percent last year
• West: 35 percent, up from 28 percent last year
• Northeast: 34 percent, up from 29 percent last year
• Midwest: 32 percent, up from 28 percent last year

Two trends to watch for in the second half of 2011:

1. Employee Turnover:
   • The competition for specialized talent is expected to intensify as employers recruit and try to retain top performers for hard-to-fill, in-high-demand positions in areas like health care and technology.
   • More than one-third (35 percent) of employers are concerned that key talent will leave their organizations as the economy improves, a trend that has become increasingly evident over the last six months.
   • Eighteen percent of employers reported top workers left their organization in the second quarter, up from 14 percent in the first quarter. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as CareerBuilder’s 2010 forecast revealed that 25 percent of all workers planned to leave their organizations within a year.
2. Shortage of Skilled Workers:
   • Fifty percent of employers reported there is a shortage of skills within their organization, up from 48 percent last year.
   • The biggest shortages were reported in the areas of Information Technology, Customer Service and Communications.
   • More than one-third (36 percent) of human resource managers reported they have positions for which they can’t find qualified candidates, up from 32 percent last year.

What happened in Q2 2011?
This past quarter, 29 percent of employers added full-time, permanent headcount, up from 24 percent last year. Eleven percent decreased headcount (same as Q2 2010), while 59 percent made no change in staff levels (compared to 64 percent in Q2 2010) and 1 percent were unsure.

What will happen in Q3 2011?

• For eight consecutive quarters, actual hiring exceeded what was originally anticipated, indicating that employers tend to be more conservative in their hiring projections than in their hiring behavior. Looking forward, 26 percent of employers plan to add full-time, permanent employees in the third quarter (only 21 percent planned to do so in Q3 2010), but if trends persist, the actual hiring number may come in higher at quarter end.
• Eight percent expect to downsize staffs.  Sixty-one percent anticipate no change, while 5 percent are undecided.

To get in-depth survey results and further predictions for the second half of 2011, download the full forecast, or for a quick snapshot, check out our handy-dandy infographic.

New survey shows hygiene and appearance play into employers’ promotion decisions.

Kids today and their piercings, am I right!?  That seems to be the attitude of nearly 37 percent of employers, who admitted in a recent survey they’d be less likely to extend a promotion to an employee with body piercings.

CareerBuilder recently surveyed nearly 2,878 employers to find out if personal appearance and hygiene affect promotion decisions, and if so, which personal attributes would make an employee less appealing for a promotion.  Bad breath, disheveled clothing, piercings and tattoos ranked highest among factors.

The top personal attributes employers say would make them less likely to extend a promotion include:

• Piercings – 37 percent
• Bad breath – 34 percent
• Visible tattoo – 31 percent
• Often has wrinkled clothes – 31 percent
• Messy hair – 29 percent
• Dresses too casually – 28 percent
• Too much perfume or cologne – 26 percent
• Too much makeup – 22 percent
• Messy office or cubicle – 19 percent
• Chewed fingernails – 10 percent
• Too suntanned – 4 percent

What this survey tells me is – all other things (e.g. leadership skills, job performance) being equal – appearance could be the deciding factor in whether or not you promote someone over another.

Would you agree? If not, what do you make of these results? How important is professional appearance in your workplace, and does it seem to affect who gets promoted and who doesn’t? Does that seem fair?

Have you ever compared the experience job seekers go through when searching for a job to the experience you go through when, say, buying a car? Believe it or not, the two experiences are more closely linked than you may realize. We have specific reasons for deciding to go through with a car purchase — or walk away from it — and the same is true for job seekers considering your company as a future employer in their job search process.

The experience you provide job seekers through your recruitment process is something they will evaluate, engage with, and accept or reject, ultimately deciding whether or not to “make a purchase.” A new CareerBuilder and Inavero study of more than 4,500 workers demonstrates that that decision can happen at any point in the job search process, from the time they first start thinking about searching for a new job to the moment they have your offer letter in front of them — and everywhere in between.

The job seeker/employer relationship: It’s complicated

Today’s job search experience looks drastically different from several years or even several months ago, and it continues to evolve. Now, although job boards still have a prominent place in the job search, the job search experience has become much more complex. When job seekers embark on a job search, they are actively using five specific methods to find their next job: Search engines; vertical sites (job boards and aggregators); social media; corporate and career sites; and user-generated content sites. They are using these five platforms in different ways and with varied intensity as they move through four distinct phases of the job search — Orientation, Consideration, Action, and Engagement.

To effectively build and manage your company’s employment brand, reach a large segment of the many job seekers you’re missing out on, and continue to position yourself as a visible and desirable place to work in today’s rapidly changing world, you must have a diversified recruitment strategy that incorporates these five platforms — and you must understand the mindset and behavior of job seekers as they move through the four stages of the job search process.

Job seekers have changed — have you?

The CareerBuilder and Inavero study takes you through a job seeker’s typical job search experience as it happens in today’s recruitment environment, a time in which job seekers are hungry for information and have a wealth of online resources at their fingertips. Long gone are the days of faxing or mailing a resume and simply waiting passively to hear back from an employer — today’s job seeker is much more hands-on.

By learning what job seekers are thinking and doing as they move through four distinct job search phases (Orientation, Consideration, Action, and Engagement) and crafting your strategy to align with those thoughts and behaviors, you’ll be equipped to reach the best candidates for your open jobs, position yourself as a strong and desirable brand, and ensure your approach is consistent from phase to phase.

The Four Phases of the Job Search

Phase I: Orientation — This phase consists of a job seeker’s self-evaluation and evaluation of the market. Ninety-seven percent of job seekers reported self-evaluation as one of the first five things they did when starting a search.

Phase II: Consideration – During this phase, the job search moves from a solitary to an interactive, social experience. Job seekers are seeking to validate the brands in their consideration set by posting on social media platforms and user-generated content sites, and collecting opinions from members of their online social and professional networks in order to narrow their focus to a handful of jobs.

Phase III: In this phase, a job seeker is going through the action of applying to jobs.

Phase IV: In this last phase, job seekers are interacting with employers and actively interviewing. Although the majority of research on a company is completed pre-interview, job seekers are conducting social research in this last phase by having personal conversations with employees of your company or close family and friends.

(Learn about the job seekers’ mindset and behavior during each of the four job search phases here.)

The importance of a great recruitment experience

Job seekers today are largely dissatisfied with the current hiring process offered by companies. Only 10 percent of respondents said companies they have reached out to have been responsive. The impact of this is immense: Nearly half (40 percent) of job seekers strongly agree that a poor application experience impacts their job decision. In fact, it might surprise you to find out that more than one in 10 people turn down a job at least once a month.

Bad experiences during and after the application process can easily negate the work and strategic investment in media you’ve made to bring the best talent onto your team.

Begin to create a more candidate-centric recruitment process by adding a human touch:

• Communicate with candidates when at all possible, and let them know where they stand as the process moves from phase to phase.
• Unplug cumbersome technology and flawed screening filters, and provide feedback and coaching.
• View all candidates as a customer or potential future customer, client or employee.
• Get the most out of the resources you’re investing by being responsive — in the long run, you will get better quality talent, protect your employment brand, and maintain a better reputation with clients (who once may have been your candidates).

Getting them to say “yes”

Job seekers are using a wide range of methods to find the right jobs, and by gaining a large presence through these methods, you will deepen your talent pool, engage and create trust with candidates early on, find more diverse candidates for your open positions, and, ultimately, improve your bottom line. Start thinking of your recruitment experience as a consumer product — and start
getting more job seekers to consider your brand, like what they see, and say “Yes.”

For details on job seeker behavior and mindset within the four job search phases and our recommended strategies for best connecting with job seekers at each point in the process, download the full report or learn more about adding the right platforms to your recruitment mix.

“You already possess the skills to needed to manage people you can’t see. I’m just going to wake them up for you,” Kyra Cavanaugh told the audience of human resources, hiring and recruiting professionals last week to open her SHRM 2011 session, Managing People You Can’t See.

Those “people you can’t see” to which Cavanaugh, President of workplace solutions firm Life Meets Work, Inc., was referring are the employees who work remotely, a part of the workforce that is increasing day by day.

Recognizing the need to address the challenges that come with either managing people who work remotely or working remotely oneself, Cavanaugh led a highly interactive – and highly engaging – session in which she provided eight tips for managing and working with remote teams.

Eight Tips for Managing People You Can’t See

1. Identify and Acknowledge Discomfort.Regardless of your management style, you’re bound to feel a level of discomfort when managing people you can’t see. The solution? “We have to arm ourselves with knowledge and information to get more comfortable.” Of course, this requires some introspection. Consider your management style. (Do you tend to be more trusting or more controlling as a manager?) Then identify the challenges to that style, and finally, explore the various skills or tactics you can you use to fill the gaps.
2. Evaluate Remote Work Requests Objectively. Remote work requests should be handled like any other business decision, says Cavanaugh. “It’s not about ‘Is this a good enough reason?’ It’s about ‘What does the business need?’” The following factors should come into play:
1. Needs of business
2. Nature of position
3. Individual work style
4. Department restrictions/limitations
5. Individual performance
3. Say either “Yes, and…’ or “No, and…”Always give a reason for your decision. If you say no, explain why, especially if it has to do with the individual’s work style or performance (Cavanaugh suggests saying something along the lines of “I’m not comfortable with this for these reasons, but if you improve in these areas, we can revisit this in a few months.”)On the other hand, if you say yes, make sure you explain any concerns you have going into it, and establish ground rules (e.g. “If we find in a few months that business needs aren’t being met, we may have to revisit this decision.”).
4. Agree Upon and Document Team Values.  Create a “Virtual Teams Agreement,” a physical document – to be reviewed every six months – outlining a certain set of behaviors that everyone on the team helps create and agrees on.For example, the agreement should take into account all the ways your team interacts (e.g. “How often do we need to respond to emails? Check voicemails? Have meetings where everyone is physically present? Are conference calls mandatory? What’s optional?”) and ways to hold each other accountable.A VTA will not only create mutual understanding over expectations, but it will also “eliminate any feelings of jealousy over ‘why does she get to work remotely and I can’t?’” Cavanaugh says.
5. Harness Technology. From project management software to CRM tools, to micro-blogging sites (like Twitter and Yammer), to Wiki’s, there are so many resources today that enable remote teams to work together–it’s just a matter of picking your poison (so to speak).“Every team has preference over which technologies they like.  Have that conversation with your team” to find out their preferences – and don’t be afraid to mix it up.
6. Set Goals and Track Performance. Make sure you clearly communicate deadlines and projects. Everyone should know who is responsible for completing which part of the project when in order to “ensure everyone’s on same page.”One thing Cavanaugh suggests is utilizing is flash reports, short reports employees submit each week (or maybe or even every day) outlining three pieces of information: What they accomplished this week, what obstacles they encountered, and what they’ll do next week. Flash reports not only set expectations, but they hold people accountable for finishing their goals.
7. Communicate Deliberately. “When we can’t see each other, we can’t read body language,” Cavanaugh says, and that can be dangerous, because body language tells us so much. We do not always know when someone is being serious or sarcastic in an email…but we also tend not to ask.  For that reason “we have to have those conversations we do not want to have.”
8. Build a Strong, Cohesive Team. “People want to be participating in something bigger than themselves,” Cavanaugh says. For this reason, it’s important to build a sense of community by promoting teamwork. Team building among remote teams is certainly not an easy task, but it’s not an impossible one, either. It just requires a little innovation.For example, Cavanaugh suggests building a PowerPoint, wherein each person has a section in which they can talk about anything they want – from recent accomplishments to vacation plans.

Do you work with remote teams? What management tips have you found work for you?

Editor’s Note: This five-week series is dedicated to examining the five most common Ps of a typical marketing mix and assessing how they relate to recruitment. Today’s post focuses on placement, and next Tuesday will cover the concept of promotion. For a look at assessments on product, price and people, view my previous posts.

In marketing, placement involves getting your product or service in front of your target customers. This means selecting the right stores and determining the best place to display it – like the end of an aisle or rack, with a special stand-alone display, or within a check-out counter. The act of distributing the product and ensuring consistent supply within key markets is also involved. Marketers must estimate how much demand they can create in a certain area and supply the right amount of product to meet anticipated demand. Often, pricing strategies fluctuate with changes in placement, thereby adding another layer of complexity to strategy. Logistics – the act of physically transporting a good – must also be considered. As demands grow, additional distribution channels and manufacturing sites closer to where the product is sold are often needed to minimize transportation costs and increase speed to market.

In recruitment, talent acquisition strategists employ these same principles to sell their product: jobs. We plan placement strategies to support regional hiring – say when a new location opens or during periods of growth. To hire, a national job advertisement is often posted, along with state and local advertisements, to source talent already residing in a specific market. Other times, if the role is specific or highly specialized, job ads will be placed on niche boards to reach a defined audience of the workforce. Some geographic areas have less supply of specialized talent, so relocation costs are paid to overcome talent shortages and secure the right candidate for a job. Recruiters attend career fairs at colleges and universities known for strong academic programs to put their product in front of graduates who will have skills and education applicable to a role at the company. Other times, recruitment can resemble a commission sales model and a staffing agency is paid to help fill a job. Similar to a rebate offered to reward consumers for purchasing a good, recruitment marketers may also offer a signing bonus to candidates who accept certain jobs.

So how do you put your product in front of the right candidates at the right time?

One way is to rely on outside data. For instance, a tool like the Supply and Demand Portal shows where labor pressure is highest for key positions across the country. It helps recruiters see where the most jobs are posted for that type of position and where the most candidates reside to fill those positions. With this information, you can see where supplemental sourcing is required to successfully fill a job.

For example, say you are looking to fill a position for a software engineer in the Pacific Northwest – specifically Washington. According to data, it is harder to recruit for this job in Washington and Oregon, and the demand for talent there is significantly higher than in the Northeast. Knowing this, you will need to supplement your placement strategy to get your message out in new channels, reach a wider geographic audience, and consider paying relocation in order to effectively compete for top talent. The data also shows it is easier to recruit software engineers in New Mexico, Florida, and Louisiana; therefore, a targeted campaign could be run in those markets to attract qualified candidates to move and meet the need in Washington. Hosting job fairs at relevant universities and working directly with local IT professional groups are two simple ways to take your message straight to the audience you need to reach. Use social networks and display ads to target online messages to people in specific markets, too.

Another way to be successful in this area is to get to know the profile of your target talent inside and out. Most product and service providers know their customer (person who buys the product) and the consumer (person who ultimately uses the product) down to the nuances of their behavior. Marketers use a VALS model to understand the psychographic attributes that impact decision-making within their target audience and place products based on what that analysis reveals. An acronym for values, attitudes, and lifestyles, VALS (according to www.strategicbusinessinsights.com) asks you to bucket your customer into one of eight categories that best describes their motivation:

• Innovators
• Thinkers
• Believers
• Achievers
• Strivers
• Experiencers
• Makers
• Survivors

Recruitment marketers should think seriously about what motivates candidates when shopping for a job – or even better, which deep-seeded switches can turn on a passive candidate’s desire to make a change.

Is it desire for recognition and status, opportunity for greater pay or benefits, emphasis on work-life balance, or an employer committed to activism? Without knowing what is most critical to your ideal candidate, how will you know which qualities of your product (job and culture) to play up?  Collect this information through surveys of staff in a specific role or division. Also, purchase insights from people outside your organization, or gather anecdotal insights from ongoing interactions with candidates.

Try this exercise: Choose any opening and envision your ideal candidate. Which of the eight VALS categories does this person fit into best?  Next, use a site like Pinterest, or cut pictures out of a magazine to create an inspiration board of what specifically defines your ideal candidate. Focus on strong motivators and the characteristics of successful placements you’ve made for a job or location in the past. Think about hobbies, family profile, issues they might support, and pop culture (websites, movies, TV). Understanding what values, attitudes, and lifestyle will be a match for this job and geographic area can help you place your message in the right spot and obtain a hire that is less likely to turnover. Use what you gather to re-write the job posting so it emphasizes what is important about the job or your company. Run that job ad in geographic markets and niche sites where your desired talent lives, works, and plays. Vary the images on your branding so they reflect the lifestyle of the applicant you seek to reach – consider using your own people that fit the profile. Choose the top three defining characteristics and feature those on social media sites when promoting the opening.

Bottom line: Not all positions and the talent needed to fill them are alike. Tailor your message to your audience and play on the strengths you know will appeal to ideal applicants. After all, quality is far preferred over quantity when it comes to sourcing candidates that stick.

“Who here is hiring right now?” Nancy Newell asked the attendees of SHRM 2011 in Las Vegas this past week, before quickly answering her own question: “Every hand should be up. We’re always looking for great talent.”

To help the human resource managers and recruiting professionals in her audience do just that, Newell, SPHR and a principal at nth degree consulting, led the audience in a session called, “Beyond Behavioral Interviewing: Asking the RIGHT Questions, Evaluating the Answers.”

Newell discussed the following strategies for what to do – and what to avoid – when it comes to finding the right candidate through behavioral interviewing.

Do This: Look beyond interview skills.
Not That: Mistake a good interviewer for a good candidate. Candidates today are more sophisticated than they used to be, Newell told the crowd. They know what interviewers want to hear.  “They’re good at interviewing, because a lot of them have had a lot of practice at it.” Someone who has been in the workforce for five, 10 or 20 years, however, will have rusty interview skills. That doesn’t necessarily predict what sort of employee that person will be.

Do This: Gather information during the interview.
Not That: Evaluate information during the interview. The interview process is your data-gathering process. The assessment should come after the interview. “If you find yourself evaluating during interview, I’m not going to tell you not to do it, but I want you to be aware of when it happens,” Newell said.  Everyone has biases, Newell admitted, but theses biases create “a filter that isn’t necessarily there, and that precludes you from making an accurate assessment for how this person will live in your organization.” You can’t always help it when your biases come out, but be able to recognize them for what they are so you can move on and focus on the purpose of the interview: gathering information.

Do This: Ask about past behavior.
Not That: Ask about potential behavior. Asking about specific past behavior will give you the most accurate predictor of future behaviors – and the more recent, the better.  A question that begins with “Tell me about a time when…” for example, is much more predictive than “What would you do if…” which tends to lead candidates to say what they think you want to hear, rather than give a real-life example that provides insight into their skills, personality and work ethic.

Do This: Get the information you need up front.
Not That: Give the milk away for free. Ask the questions first, then talk about the job and the company. Start by coaching candidates through the interview process, explaining the format and that there will be time for questions at the end. But don’t lead them by talking up front about the job and the organization, which enables them to give you the answers they know you want to hear. Remember, what you say and when you say it matters.

Do This: Consider the skills and competencies needed for the job.
Not That: Consider ONLY at skills and competencies need for the job. “There’s more to a job than skills and competencies. There’s a whole team to consider,” Newell said. When interviewing candidates, consider what skills are needed to round out the team, which skills will work best with the manager, and which skills will work best for your organization’s customers. Also, be sure to consider the skills you’re willing to train them on, so you don’t waste time asking about those. In short: hire for cultural fit as well as skills and competencies.

Do This: Ask the same questions of every candidate.
Not That: Apply the above rule to follow-up questions. “If we aren’t measuring candidates by the same yardstick,” Newell said, meaning asking the same questions of every candidate, “we have no reliability or predictability in the interview process…the yardstick doesn’t measure anything.” Follow up questions, however, can and should be different. Don’t be afraid to “pull the thread” to get the entire picture. Not only will you be able to ensure the behaviors your candidates talk about are consistent, but you’ll also be able to see whether or not their initial responses were genuine.

Finally, do this: Accept that there’s no “magic bullet” to getting the right answers from candidates and ensuring the right hire. If you invest the time, energy and discipline into the process, you’ll reap the rewards in the long term. According to Newell, “It’s not an easy process, but it’s so worth it.”

I’m going back to the future to start my SHRM 2011 Conference recap posts at the end of the conference, because frankly, hearing Michael J. Fox deliver the final general session yesterday was the highlight of my SHRM experience. (Now had I won an iPad, this might be an entirely different post….)

Going into the Las Vegas Conference Center to hear Fox’s speech yesterday, I already had high hopes. After all, this is Alex P. Keaton, y’all!! Marty-effing-McFly! Teen Wolf – the original!

And if I’m being completely honest, part of me really, really just wanted to hear him tell the audience, “Boy, are you a sight for sore eyes.”

But what Fox delivered far exceeded my expectations. Articulate and inspiring, Fox charmed the crowd with his humor and honesty, giving a brief history of his childhood, explaining how he got into show business, before launching into his discovery that he had Parkinson’s Disease, until finally discussing how the disease became the greatest gift he never asked for.

“Don’t play the result.”
Fox opened by giving the crowd the first acting lesson he ever received as a child growing up in Canada: “Don’t play the result,” a lesson he now applies to life. “You can’t play as though you know how the scene is going to end,” he told the audience.

“For me, this saying is about opportunities…The script of your life is not yet written.” You can’t plan for every event that’s going to happen in your life, but that shouldn’t restrict you. In fact, it is those unexpected events that create opportunities to try something new.

“Loss doesn’t create a vacuum. It creates opportunities.”
Shortly after going public with his disease (“Here’s a tip: If you ever want to get a secret out, tell Barbara Walters and People Magazine,” he joked…I think), Fox said he heard about a fan who also had Parkinson’s Disease and explained it to people as “like what Michael J. Fox has.”

At that point, Fox realized that he had the opportunity to help others like him by becoming an activist and using his fame to promote awareness and find a cure. He decided to start an organization specifically focused on finding a cure for Parkinson’s, because while there are federally mandated initiatives geared toward medical research, “what we don’t have is a Department of Cures. There’s no Secretary of Cures…Cures don’t seem to be anyone’s priorities.”

In setting up The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Disease, Fox made it his mission to assure anyone who, like him, was hoping to be cured of Parkinson’s, that while there might not be a cure available just yet, “at the very least, we’re on the job.”

“The choice I didn’t make…”
In addition to new opportunities, Fox has also discovered the power of choice. He realized early on that Parkinson’s didn’t have to limit him – not if he didn’t want it to. “The only choice not available to me is whether or not I have Parkinson’s. Everything else is my call,” Fox told the audience. He then reflected on Dwight, the bitter, world-weary character he played on several episodes of the TV series “Rescue Me,” whom he said was easy for him to play because he identified so well with the character.

“I know Dwight. Dwight was the choice I didn’t make,” Fox told the audience. The result of not making that choice, he found, has been more rewarding than he could ever imagine.

“The gift that keeps on taking…”
Despite everything he has endured, Fox calls Parkinson’s Disease a “gift.” (“It’s the gift that keeps on taking, but it’s a gift.”) It was, after all, this disease that gave him the opportunity to give back with his foundation. On a more personal level, it opened the door to bond more closely with his children (he calls the day he disclosed his disease to his son “one of the best afternoon’s of my life”) and his wife, Tracy Pollan.

“Parkinson’s has always put me in a box,” he told the audience. “Tracy has become expert at folding it up, turning it over and easing me out…We’ve given more to each other than Parkinson’s has taken away.”

Initially, Fox might seem an odd pick as the person to give the closing speech at SHRM, but his determination to see opportunity where others might see limitations is clearly a lesson for leaders everywhere.

It certainly moved the crowd at SHRM.

Before walking off-stage to a standing ovation, Fox closed by repeating his opening statement for emphasis: “Whatever you do, never ever play the result.”

Editor’s Note: This five-week series is dedicated to examining the five most common Ps of a typical marketing mix and assessing how they relate to recruitment. Today’s post focuses on people; the remaining concepts – placement and promotion – will run in sequential order every Tuesday over the next couple weeks. For a look at assessments on product and price, view my previous posts.

Regardless of the business, the people involved with producing a product or a service inevitably shape the final outcome. While the nature of a particular business certainly renders some attributes more influential than others, the appearance, attitudes, experience, and beliefs of staff impact the sale of a product. In service-based businesses, like restaurants and retail, the appearance of staff reinforces commitments the company makes to health, safety, and brand position. Uniforms and service standards are just two ways businesses seek to deliver on their brand promise through their agents. These define the claims made by the company – whether it is to be the number one luxury retailer or safest car manufacturer.

A company’s people are often called upon to respond to crisis and serve as a testament to a brand promise. Toyota, who issued recalls of roughly 2.3 million vehicles in January 2010, created a series of videos featuring employees stating their commitment to safety. A number of technicians, engineers, plant employees, and dealers discussed the recall and how they planned to move forward. In another example, Domino’s created “The Pizza Turnaround” documentary featuring actual employees and their reactions to consumer opinions. The project featured people from all departments – from chefs and senior leaders to marketing and product management – who openly addressed criticism uncovered online and in focus groups.

So how do people impact recruitment? The individuals within your organization can be your biggest advocates, or the most compelling deterrent in your pursuit of top talent. Employers tell us that employee referrals are often the number one source of hire, even when the awareness of an employee referral incentive is low. What this tells us is that people are passionate about where they work. So much time is spent at work and whether the experience is good or bad – people talk.

Creating opportunities for your passionate brand stewards to publicly endorse your company as a place to work is the cornerstone of social recruitment. The content you share on social media channels should be a combination of company-created messages and unsolicited testimony from real staff. Encourage employees to join your communities, interact with potential applicants, and take a vested interest in the conversation. Not only does this substantiate your claims as a desirable place to work, but it can serve as a research mechanism to see which messages are most effective with potential candidates.

Try this exercise: Ask functional area leaders within your business to identify key individuals who demonstrate company values and could serve as a mentor to potential applicants. You can also look to staff members who have been recognized for awards, participate in corporate volunteerism, or are active in affinity groups. Pull these individuals together and create short videos documenting why they believe your company is a great place to work or what they like best about their job. The videos don’t have to be extravagant (here are a few simple examples: SCA and CR Bard), but the faces of staff will serve as an interactive influence to outsiders. Use these videos to start conversations in social media and post them on your careers site.

Bottom line: Don’t make the mistake of excluding people from your recruitment marketing presence. Physical evidence is a fundamental part of effective persuasion, so encourage employee participation in official corporate-created social media communities – their credibility on working at your company will give potential applicants plenty of authentic proof to support your claims. Discuss important topics – like culture, growth potential, and benefits. Tap recently hired staff to talk about their experiences with your recruitment and on-boarding processes – two areas most companies fail to address, yet one of the topics four out of five job seekers want more transparency on. Promote referral bonus programs and invest in a job sharing application that integrates with Facebook or LinkedIn to give your staff easy ways to share job opportunities in their networks. Lastly, create internal channels for staff to feel heard in case negative issues arise. Without support internally, your authorities won’t defend you publicly.

“You constantly need to reposition and redefine yourself in order to continue growing.”

In the following excerpt from CareerBuilder’s recent interview with Philip Jaurigue, President and CEO of Sabre Systems, Inc., Jaurigue discusses, among other things, the importance of innovation, recognition and not looking in the rearview mirror.

Can you describe your philosophy as it relates to the impact your employees have on your business?

Because Sabre Systems, Inc. is a services business, our employees are the face of the company. A large portion of Sabre personnel work at customer locations and, in many instances, are the customers’ sole source of information with regard to Sabre’s culture and philosophy. This means that the attitude with which employees come to work in the morning, the way they conduct themselves while at work, and even their overall character convey a message about Sabre’s values and professionalism directly to our customer.

With that in mind, I encourage the leadership team to spend a fair amount of time engaging employees to ensure they feel they are a valued and integral part of the team. I also ask that company leadership ensures that potential Sabre team members are aligned with the mission, vision and culture of the company before bringing them on board.

How do you personally engage with and relate to your employees?

Sabre has an employee accolade program through which we reward employees who have exceeded expectations or have willingly stepped outside the confines of their daily responsibilities to provide support to another employee, manager or project. These employees often receive their “Above and Beyond” or “Employee Appreciation” awards in front of their colleagues or customers, who collectively celebrate their accomplishments and contributions. I urge managers to utilize this program and always try to be present to personally recognize those employees being honored.

I also make every effort to attend Sabre community events, holiday parties and other company functions, which provide opportunities for me to connect with employees outside of the work environment.

Recently, I have been looking for creative ways to use social media. I encourage Sabre employees to follow me on Twitter and subscribe to my blog so they are informed regarding the direction of – and what’s going on within – the company. This is especially beneficial to employees who spend the majority of their time at customer sites. Having access to these communication channels helps them feel connected, and sheds light on how they might grow their careers.

What would you say is the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned to date?

If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s that you can’t look in the rearview mirror and expect the things you’ve done things in the past that made you successful are necessarily going to be the same things that keep you successful. It sounds a little bit counterintuitive, but from a business standpoint, it’s probably one of the worst things you can do. You have to be constantly reinventing yourself to keep yourself relevant and stay competitive.

Oftentimes, companies will become successful because they have been able to differentiate themselves from their competitors and communicate that value proposition to their customers. Your competitors are all going to copy what’s successful, so you constantly need to reposition and redefine yourself in order to continue growing. A leader’s role is to be a change agent in managing these transitions.

How do you define your internal culture?

I think employees at Sabre feel that they are empowered and generally encouraged to be creative and entrepreneurial. Sabre leadership encourages employees to be innovative in finding solutions for their customers and improving processes to achieve enhanced efficiency.

My role is to make sure that our reward system and that which we praise in the organization are consistent with what we’re asking our people to do, and with the culture we have cultivated. We try to come up with creative ways to recognize people and to reward people for their innovation. Rewarding those behaviors we deem desirable and beneficial to the company is the best thing that any leader can do.

What do you do to engage your employees and to reinforce your brand?

One thing that makes employees feel positive about their experience at Sabre is our involvement in the community. Sabre supports a number of different charitable projects – from a financial standpoint, as well as in terms of the time we spend on pro bono efforts. In the Philadelphia region specifically, we’ve twice been named one of the most philanthropic large companies in the area. We have people who are very actively involved in a number of not-for-profits and different community endeavors.

In today’s marketplace, it is important for a business to show that it’s not just about profits, losses and maximizing shareholder value, but that it also takes responsibility to give back and really help the community.

What advice would you share with your executive peers through this article?

I’ll go back to the topic of change. You don’t lead your company by looking in the rearview mirror. Don’t be afraid to reinvent your company and don’t fear; rather, embrace change.

ABOUT PHILIP P. JAURIGUE: Philip P. Jaurigue founded Sabre Systems, Inc. in 1989, and has served as President since its inception. Mr. Jaurigue’s primary focus and responsibility is providing strategic business leadership to drive the direction, stability and growth of Sabre. A frequent speaker at the Wharton School of Business and the Entrepreneur’s Forum of Greater Philadelphia, Mr. Jaurigue is also part-time co-host on the weekly radio show Executive Leaders Radio for WHFS 1580AM in Washington, DC.

ABOUT SABRE SYSTEMS.: Sabre Systems, Inc. is a professional services company that provides worldwide technology, scientific and management solutions to government and commercial clients. Core capabilities include information technology, engineering, program management support, training and logistics, and software development. Headquartered in Pennsylvania, Sabre has major offices in Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, Indiana, California and South Carolina.

Earlier this month, I discussed the ways mobile marketing efforts can enhance a company’s recruitment efforts.

For instance, not only does mobile marketing provide a fast, convenient way to alert job seekers to opportunities and stay in touch with them, but it also helps you stand out among those who aren’t yet using mobile means to reach job seekers…just to name a few.

Now, if you’re ready to take that very special next step in your recruiting efforts, here’s your quick-and-easy guide to the various mobile recruiting techniques you can try:

Four Opportunities in Mobile Recruitment

Quick Response Codes: QR (quick response) codes are barcode-like squares that, when scanned with the camera found on most mobile devices, direct users to a specific mobile website.  For recruitment purposes, they’re an easy way to direct job seekers to your careers site (just take it from Ernst & Young). Here are a few quick ways to get started:

• Cre­ate a QR code for your com­pany job board and print it on com­pany promo cards to dis­trib­ute to attendees at career fairs and networking events.
• Embed QR codes on company brochures, business cards, presentations, hand-outs, and other promotional items to drive prospective candidate to your careers website.

And thanks to the many free QR code generators online that let you simply type in a destination URL, creating QR codes is surprisingly quick and inexpensive.  (Note, however, that because not everyone has a smart phone that responds to QR codes, you should always pro­vide mul­tiple avenues for the dis­sem­i­na­tion of information.)

Text Alerts: Recruitment SMS alerts enable you to alert job seekers to new and open opportunities in real-time.  You can also use SMS notifications to communicate other recruitment messages, including the following:

• When a candidate has made it to the next round of the application process.
• When companies require an interview.
• When career events take place, according to where the candidate lives.

Companies like AT&T are using this technique already. Anyone can sign up on the careers section of AT&T’s website to join the company’s Talent Network and receive hot job leads via text message based on location and job type.

Mobile-optimized Websites: ERE’s Dr. John Sullivan recently argued that one of the reasons corporate careers sites are going the way of the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric is because they aren’t keeping up with mobile trends.

With over 300 million Americans using mobile phones – and mobile search up 130 percent over the past year – it’s increasingly important that organizations optimize their careers site for easier mobile viewing. Otherwise, they risk missing out on the millions of job seekers who are searching jobs and companies from their phones.

Creating an optimized version of your website should be simple and relatively inexpensive. Keep the content simple and focus on the most important content. Hyatt has optimized its mobile site to enable potential candidates to search for jobs, view mobile video from YouTube, link to the company’s various social media sites and read up on company information.

Apps: AT&T, Raytheon and Deloitte are just a few of the companies that have successfully implemented smartphone apps into their recruitment strategy.  While customized apps are ideal for bigger companies with a steady opening of jobs, employers of all sizes benefit from apps if the websites that advertise their jobs on have apps.

For instance, any organization with postings on CareerBuilder.com can potentially be found by job seekers using CareerBuilder’s job seeker app.  Additionally, employers can now use the new CareerBuilder for Employers app on their ends to find candidates, review their resumes and contact them - from anywhere at anytime - directly from their iPhones.

Have you made changes to your recruiting strategy in light of the current mobile trend?

“The foundation of business is changing under our feet, and we need folks who are adaptable to – even thrive on – engineering and stewarding that change.”

In the following Q&A, Amber Naslund, VP of Social Strategy for Radian6, discusses her new book, The Now Revolution: 7  Shifts To Make Your Business Faster, Smarter, and More Social, which she co-authored with social media strategy consultant Jay Baer. On July 12, Naslund will host a free webinar, Social Media for Small Business, to discuss how businesses can apply the lessons from her book to their own social media and recruiting strategies.

What gave you the idea for The Now Revolution? Jay [Baer, co-author of The Now Revolution] and I talked at great length about how many books there were about social media marketing, but how few there were about how to adapt your business to what social media has brought about. We wanted to write something that looked at social business from that angle.

What does ‘successful adoption of the social web’ mean to you? Successful adoption is unique to every business and its goals, to be sure. But in general terms, it’s embracing the cycle of listening, responding, participating, and storytelling, while putting in place the internal pieces to make social media not just an add-on, but an integrated part of each piece of the business.

Is there a difference between a company’s culture and its employment brand? Often there is, but ideally there isn’t. The brand is often the appearance we like to create for external observers. But if we do our jobs really well, the culture is expressed and represented by the brand, and the brand carries over internally as well as externally. It’s no coincidence that the companies that do social well have a strong cultural foundation; social media is a window into corporate culture unlike we’ve seen before.

Employers often argue that they do not have the time and resources needed to adopt a social media strategy. How do you respond to that? Make no mistake: social media does take time and resources. Without a doubt. So that’s a valid concern. But we keep thinking about social media as an “and” instead of an “or”. Auditing what we do already and finding the things that aren’t working anymore or that have run their course can free up people, time, and budget to put toward progressive ideas like social media.

Are businesses that do not have a social media presence doomed to fail? Fail? No. But there’s no question that they’re missing opportunities. And if their customers, partners, and peers aren’t driving them to adopt it now, they soon will.

You recently said that companies need to start ‘hiring a different breed of person.’ Can you expound on that? More than ever, we need polymaths. We need people who excel across disciplines and are capable of being more generalists than specialists. They need to embody strong and diverse character attributes, not just sets of functional skills. Mindset and work ethic are as critical as they’ve ever been, along with a capacity to innovate even in the most traditional of roles. The foundation of business is changing under our feet, and we need folks who are adaptable to – even thrive on – engineering and stewarding that change.

Finally, if readers can take only one thing from The Now Revolution what do you hope it will be? That we have to get away from a focus on the tools and tactics, and move toward an understanding that, as Jay says, the goal is not to be good at social media. The goal is to be good at business, and social media can support that.

Want to know more? Join CareerBuilder and Amber Naslund for a free webinar: Social Media for Small Business. Learn what you need to know now to grow your business by leveraging new social technologies. Tuesday, July 12 at 1 p.m. CST. Register today.

Confession: Short of an in-depth Google search, I couldn’t recall a single piece of advice the speaker at my college graduation gave my classmates and me on that fateful day in May so many years ago.

Granted, the speaker wasn’t a celebrity like Stephen Colbert (no offense, whoever you were), but save for a few witty lines, I still doubt I’d remember much. I’m not proud of it, either, because I bet that advice would still apply to my professional life today.

With that in mind – and in honor of graduation season – I picked out a few takeaways from some of my favorite celebrity commencement speeches this year to see how they apply to professionals of all levels – not just new graduates.

Leadership Advice from 2011’s Celebrity Commencement Addresses

“There are few things more liberating than having your worst fear realized.” – Conan O’Brien

O’Brien discussed his own professional disappointment over having his worst fear realized – getting his dream job of hosting The Tonight Show abruptly taken away from him – and using it as a jumping off point to try “a lot of silly, unconventional, spontaneous ridiculous and seemingly irrational things.” The result, he said, was “the most satisfying and fascinating year of my professional life.” He continued by saying, “if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can become a catalyst for profound reinvention,” a belief that applies to anyone in any aspect of life – both personal and professional – before closing with, “Work hard, be kind, and good things will happen.” Amen, Coco.

“Be open to collaboration. Other people’s ideas are often better than your own.” – Amy Poehler

Poehler reminded the crowd at Harvard’s commencement ceremony that they all owe their successes to the people in their life who helped them get there. Her next piece of advice holds true for anyone at any level of their career – but perhaps especially for those who are actively hiring and interviewing people to add to their teams: “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you. Spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.”

“Cultivate in them the faith to carry on, and they will take care of the rest.” – Tom Hanks

Though Hanks was advising the graduates of Yale on how to help war veterans make an easier transition to civilian life, he could have easily been telling managers how to lead their employees. He emphasize the need to work together to improve and unify the nation, mirroring the need for employers and employees to work together for the benefit the overall organization.

He also reminded all present for the speech that, even in the face of circumstances beyond our control, our success is determined by how we approach those challenges: “Each new day fear is…lurking in the darkness on the edge of town. Your rising from bed every morning will give fear its chance to grow stronger just as it will afford faith its chance to blossom. You will make the choice to react to one or create the other.”

“You are not the most important person in the scene. Everyone else is.” – Stephen Colbert

Colbert equated the first lesson he ever learned from doing improv at Chicago’s Second City to life, reminding the crowd at Northwestern that great improv scenes happen when everyone on stage works to make their scene partners look good. “Try to love others and serve others and hopefully find those who love and serve you in return,” he later said. The same applies to leadership: If you treat your employees with respect and work to help them succeed, they’ll return the favor.

“There are no mistakes.” – Tina Fey

Like Colbert, Fey relayed the lessons she learned in improv comedy to the Fieldston 2011 graduating class, suggesting that they apply these lessons to life. Also like Colbert, Fey could easily have been speaking to talent managers when she advised them to view mistakes as opportunities.  “I think the idea of living in a world where there are no mistakes – there are only choices, and we move forward from our choices – is a pretty great world to live in.”

Tina Fey at Fieldston from Cyber Shepherd on Vimeo.

What 2011 celebrity commencement speeches were your favorites?

Editor’s Note: This five-week series is dedicated to examining the five most common Ps of a typical marketing mix and assessing how they relate to recruitment. Today’s post focuses on price; the remaining concepts – people, placement and promotion – will run in sequential order every Tuesday over the next few weeks. For a look at the assessment of product, check out my post from last week. 

A number of factors contribute to the final price of a good or service, including the cost of materials or labor to produce the final product, overhead and distribution costs, and desired profitability. Other things like discounts, commission, and marketing costs to acquire a customer impact the bottom line as well. To learn from marketing, consider what it will cost a candidate to accept your job offer.

Seldom is a career opportunity a perfect match for a candidate. In most cases, there may need to be a trade off of desired benefits or a minor sacrifice of one benefit for another. Most job seekers bargain with the variables when deciding whether they will apply for a job. For example, a job may require a longer commute but offer greater advancement potential. Or, a company with a stronger brand reputation may offer a smaller starting salary than a lesser-known company.

Understand the price a candidate may have to pay to accept a particular job so you can proactively emphasize the redeeming qualities of the opportunity that offset costs. Don’t overlook how helpful it can be to share information about the realities of a job. For example, say you know your target talent has between five to eight years of experience and prefers urban living; but your job is in a suburb that requires relocation or a 50 to 60 minute commute. Address it!  While it’s unrealistic to include this type of detail in a job advertisement, social media is the ideal forum to elaborate on things beyond essential qualifications and job functions. Seek out employees who have a reverse commute and get them to share their perspective on Facebook. They can give details about taking public transportation and shortcuts they’ve found that make the commute manageable. Whatever the topic, this is just one of the ways to remove obstacles that could prevent your target talent from applying to and accepting your job.

Try this exercise: Before you can effectively anticipate the costs that might accompany a job or working at your company, you must fully understand the profile of your target audience. As you’ll learn later with the remaining Ps, the nuances that define your ideal candidate are incredibly important in the placement and promotion of your recruitment message. Make a list of observations about your current workforce. What similarities exist among your staff? Are these characteristics among departments or do they change as you move from entry-level to senior leadership positions? While this may seem simple at first, the patterns you observe can start to shape how you seek out and tailor your message to attract the right fit for a specific job.

Bottom line:  Nearly every decision – from purchasing a product to accepting a job – involves trade-offs. Resist the nature to be arrogant about what your company can and cannot offer a potential applicant. Seek out information, both about your ideal candidate and the specific position, to understand what financial and personal costs might affect your ability to attract and retain the best people for the job.

What other ways do you think price impacts recruitment? Share your thoughts below!

Hoping to capitalize on the popularity of such Facebook games as “Farmville” and “Mafia Wars”, Marriott International, Inc. just unveiled its “My Marriott Hotel” game on Facebook, the Wall Street Journal reported recently.

But rather than simply build buzz, “My Marriott Hotel”, which simulates the experience of managers at the fast-paced hotel restaurant, is ultimately being used as a recruitment tool.

Marriott follows in the footsteps of Siemens, whose “Plantville” is designed to give users a feel for what being manager of a bottling facility, vitamin factory or train-building plant is like, and Home Depot, which offers games on its Facebook page like “Cart Hustle” and “Paint Misbehavin” to engage potential employees.

These companies, however, are just the latest in a long line of employers who now use virtual technology as a recruitment tool.

For instance, as I reported last year, staffing firm Kelly Services uses Second Life to give job seekers an interactive experience, while MITRE Corporation enables job seekers to download a 3D video game that gives players a better understanding of the company’s campus and how the interview process works.

The trend of using video games as a recruitment tool actually goes back several years: According to the Entertainment Software Association, an estimated 70 percent of major domestic employers used these “serious games” to train employees in 2008.  That figure is estimated to increase to 80 percent by 2013.

It seems as if the practice is working in these companies’ favor, though. According to a recent study from the University of Colorado Denver Business School, “organizations which use video games to train employees end up with smarter, more motivated workers who learn more and forget less.”

(For the record, though, what these companies are doing will never have anything on Oregon Trail. That game ruled.)

And while the obvious downside to using video gaming techniques to train is the time and money involved in setting it up, but it’s worth noting that with today’s technology, it’s much easier and much less expensive to execute today than it was even a few years ago.

What do you think about using video games as a recruitment tool? Worth the investment or overrated?

“Every customer is a potential reporter, and every employee is a potential spokesperson.”

Such is the overall message in The Now Revolution: 7 Shifts To Make Businesses Faster, Smarter & More Social.

Written by renowned social media and business strategists Amber Naslund and Jay Baer, The Now Revolution addresses how the prevalence of social media, 24/7 news access and “a globally interconnected world” is calling for businesses to revolutionize the way they treat both customers and employees.

“We used to argue whether or not we needed websites, now not having one is inconceivable,” Naslund recently told me over email, in reference to how businesses are still slow to create an effective social media strategy, despite its increasing importance as a business tool.

Recognizing this challenge, she and Baer set out to create a “playbook” with seven shifts businesses need to make today in order to stay competitive. Two of these shifts in particular – “find talent you can trust” and “organize your armies” – tackle how employers can find the right people to keep up with today’s fast-paced business world, and how they can then effectively turn those people into brand advocates.

“Employers need to educate their teams about the potential and opportunity on the web – not just in marketing, but in customer service, research, competitive analysis, etc.,” Naslund says in reference to how business can influence their employees to become potential marketers.

Social Media is a Means, Not the End
While not having a social media presence isn’t a deal-breaker for businesses in order to be successful, Naslund tells me it definitely means missing opportunities in a world that’s increasingly reliant on social media to connect with customers, employees and business partners.

But make no mistake: The Now Revolution isn’t a social media book. It’s a business book. “The goal [for businesses today] is not to be good at social media. The goal is to be good at business, and social media can support that,” Naslund says.

Next month, Naslund will discuss how small businesses can accomplish both for a new webinar, Social Media for Small Businesses. Check back here later in the week to see my full interview with Naslund, in which she reveals more about her book and what to expect from her upcoming webinar. In the meantime, you can register for the webinar here for free.

Update: Check out my full interview with Naslund here.

Register now for Social Media for Small Business: Join Amber Naslund, VP of Social Strategy for Radian6, as she discusses the unique challenges small businesses face – as well as the unique benefits they have – in an increasingly social world. Learn what you need to know now to grow your business by leveraging new social technologies. Tuesday, July 12 at 1 p.m. CST

While you were busy advising and inspiring the great minds of tomorrow, hoping that Pottermore turns out to be everything you’re dreaming it will be and more, or breathing a sigh of sweet, sweet relief, here’s what was happening in the employment and workforce management world this week…

• Executives to Jobs Council: “What Else Ya Got?” A report that included five recommendations for fixing unemployment – such as “Boost jobs in travel and tourism” and “Train workers for today’s open jobs” – failed to wow the other members of the President’s Jobs and Competitiveness Council when presented at a jobs-related forum in Raleigh, N.C. last month. (Wall Street Journal)
• Career Sh*t My Dad Says In honor of Father’s Day on Sunday, readers shared the best career advice they ever received, including such gems as, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take,” and “You can’t change the circus, unless you change the clowns.” So true…Thanks, Pop! (TheWorkBuzz)
• Working – and Overworked – Dads Sound Off Speaking of Father’s Day, CareerBuilder’s annual study revealed that fathers are having a hard time finding a work/life balance, and suggests ways working dads can be both father and employee of the year. (TheHiringSite)
• America’s Managers Rule, Says Science Tina Turner could’ve been singing about U.S. bosses, who, researchers say, are simply the best. (Harvard Business Review)
• 10 Reasons Your Employees Hate You Right Now Bet you can’t guess ALL TEN of the top employee workplace complaints. (Don’t worry if you can’t: No one’s a winner in this game.) (About.com)
• Americans are So Miserable, We Need a Whole Index to Measure It Thanks to high unemployment and inflation, the nation’s misery level registers at 12.7, which, apparently, is bad. (CNBC)
• Much Like Beyoncé, Work-Life Flexibility Perk is a Survivor A new survey shows that work-life flexibility was one of the few workplace benefits to survive the recession. (United Press International)
• Employers Yearn for Corporate Version of Botox Trying to appeal to younger job candidates, ‘mature’ technology companies like Microsoft and HP have had to rethink their branding strategies in the face of stiff competition from ‘hipper’ start-ups like Facebook and Twitter. (Wall Street Journal)

Struggling to find that perfect gift for the father who has everything? (Perhaps a little too much of it?)

Some dads pretend to like ties, others wouldn’t say no to new golf clubs. What most working dads could use this year, however, is a better/work life balance.

At least, if a recent survey of more than 800 men – employed full-time, with children 18 and under living in the household – is any indication.

According to CareerBuilder’s annual Father’s Day Survey, more fathers report struggling to find a work/life balance today than a year ago.

Maybe, however, that’s because – and here’s the good news – the majority (84 percent) of working dads who were laid off over the last 12 months say they have found full-time employment again.

But much like asking for directions, giving up the breadwinner role post-recession is something few dads are willing to do. (Men! Amirite??)

According to the survey, only 33 percent of working dads who aren’t the sole financial provider for their household said they would quit their jobs if their spouse or significant other made enough money to support the family, down from 44 percent five years ago. 

Longer Hours, Less Quality Time
The survey also found that leaner staffs and heavier workloads have dads putting in longer hours away from home.

• 22 percent work more than 50 hours per week on average, up from 19 percent last year
• 39 percent spend two hours or less with their children each day, and 16 percent spend one hour or less.

And if they’re not away at the office, they might as well be:

• 20 percent reported they bring home work at least three days per week.
• 34 percent have missed at least two significant events in their child’s life due to work in the last year
• 19 percent said they have checked work voicemail or e-mail during their children’s events.

Given these findings, it’s not surprising that 21 percent said they feel their work has had a negative impact on their relationship with their children.

A Career and Kids? Can Men Truly Have It All?
According to Alex Green, General Counsel for CareerBuilder and father of three, it’s not surprising that more fathers are reporting difficulty balancing their home life with their jobs.

“As companies downsized during the recession and work demands accelerated, we saw dads having a harder time finding balance between providing for their families financially and spending quality time with them, ” Green says.

The key to maintaining a balance, he says, is open communication and planning ahead at both work and home.“  It’s also important to cut yourself some slack,” Green adds.“ Even the best dads need a break sometimes.”

5 Tips for Maintaining a Better Work/Life Balance
Green recommends the following tips to help working dads find a better balance at work and home:

1. Talk about it – Remember that communication is a two-way street.  Besides just listening to what is going on in your family’s lives, talk about what is going on in your office, so everyone understands why you are away or have to do some work when you are home.
2. Scheduling is key to success – Add every family member’s schedule to one master calendar so there are no surprises.  Also, save vacation days for important events and talk to your supervisor about flexible work arrangements.
3. Establish a “no work” zone – Put down your Blackberry and avoid checking e-mails from the time you arrive home until after your children have gone to sleep.
4. Consider flexible work arrangements – More companies are offering telecommuting options, flexible hours, condensed work weeks and other arrangements.  Approach your boss with a game plan of how the new arrangement would work and how it can ultimately benefit the organization.
5. It’s okay to say no – In addition to actual work, sometimes activities associated with your job can take a toll on your free time. Determine what additional activities you can turn down and which are necessary so that you can free up more of your time outside of the office.

Editor’s Note: This five-week series is dedicated to examining the five most common Ps of a typical marketing mix and assessing how they relate to recruitment. Today’s post focuses on product; the others – on price, people, placement and promotion – will run in sequential order every Tuesday over the next five weeks.

Raise your hand if you remember Marketing 101! If you’re like most talent acquisition professionals, the principles of marketing are hazy. A few Ps here, a DMA or two there. Most recruiters know enough to be dangerous, and it doesn’t matter much for day-to-day talent attraction anyway, right?

Think again.

Follow the typical marketing mix and apply it to recruitment – you’ll find there are an astounding number of similarities. The techniques used to effectively sell a product or service work just as well in selling a career opportunity. As such, the most successful social recruiters view talent acquisition through a marketing lens.

For my next handful of posts, I’d like to focus on the five most common Ps of marketing and tie to them into recruitment. And since each concept holds significant value, it’s only fair to give them the appropriate coverage, breaking tips and exercises into a series that will run over the next five weeks.  

Today’s focus: Product

In traditional marketing, a product is the physical good or service offered to a consumer. The attributes of the product are the accompanying benefits the product boasts. These attributes – function, design, packaging, ease of use, and warranty – are weighed against costs to determine if it is desirable for the purchaser. The purchase is influenced by the seller’s overall brand identity and word-of-mouth reputation as well as the influence of other consumers on the customer (e.g. a child may influence a parent’s toy purchase).

In recruitment marketing, your product is a job. The attributes of that job – pay, working hours, essential job functions, supervising staff, full time vs. part-time or contract – are all considered by a candidate. The decision to apply for the opportunity is impacted positively or negatively by the company’s employment brand and word-of-mouth opinions of current and former staff. And, like a product, there are influencers in an applicant’s life that factor into the decision to apply for or accept a job offer. For example, the impact on family is considered when a lengthy commute disturbs work-life balance.

Just like any product, your jobs compete for mindshare among qualified talent. Before going to market with a product or service, companies work to thoroughly understand the competitive landscape and develop a defendable position that differentiates them from alternatives. You must do the same for your job and workplace. The things that make you different from other employers will be the cornerstone of your employment value proposition and social media messages.

Try this exercise: Visualize the last advertisement you saw for a food product. What are the three things you remember the most?  It could be the taste, packaging or health benefits. These memorable images or qualities are what make the snack appealing. Apply this to recruitment by defining two or three things you want candidates to remember about your job opportunity or company. It could be philanthropy, continuing education, or commitment to innovation. Once you have two or three solid attributes, emphasize these in your social media messaging so candidates remember what you have to offer.

Bottom line:  Present job opportunities and culture in terms of the benefits. Be honest about the limitations of your company and stay true to its employment brand promise. Your product’s features, core benefits, and differentiators from those you compete with for talent should be the basis for social media messages and inspire former and current employees to validate the claims with their own testimonials. Individual social proof is the closest you can get to a satisfaction guarantee.

How else will you effectively utilize the concept of product for your business?

“Sometimes you make wise choices, and it’s more luck than wisdom.”

In the following interview, Maritza Poza-Grise, vice president of DuPont Human Resources, discusses, among other things, employee engagement, open communication and the therapeutic affects of laughter.

How do you engage with and relate to your employees?

I’m a people person by nature. One thing I enjoy is our lunch and learn sessions we host. We go out into the field, give short sound bites of what’s going on the in company, then go around the room to hear from employees. It’s a great way to get a pulse of the organization. If there are issues or challenges, we want to have open conversations and an open environment where it’s safe to disagree. The one thing you learn very early on at DuPont is you are in an individual contributor role: your worth and your contribution has everything to do with how you succeed.

What are some of the most important leadership lessons you’ve learned throughout your career?

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned as a leader is just being authentic, trustworthy and credible. That gets harder and harder as your scope widens.  Through the veins of any employee in DuPont, the most important fluid is our core values.  We are a company where, when I come to work, I feel like I am working in the context of my own values.  I’ve never been asked to do anything that was unsafe, unethical or disrespectful of people; nor will we tolerate anyone who operates in an unsafe way, acts unethically or disrespects people.  I think in any company – whatever their values – living those core values is absolutely essential in order to lead and accomplish great things.

How do you as a leader try to have an impact on the culture?

Culture is an interesting thing in a 208-year-old company.  There are elements of the culture that were seated 208 years ago by Éleuthère DuPont, by the choices he made when manufacturing very dangerous explosive powders.  As a leader, you play into that and you embody that with regard to core values; however, you also have to think intentionally about what kind of culture you want to create. I strive to have an open culture at DuPont, where you can have some fun and laugh at yourself, even in the most serious of times – which was therapy during the global financial crisis.

What’s the most important decision you’ve had to make as a leader?

Far and away, the most important decisions you make as a leader are about people.  Last year, during the global financial crisis, we as a corporation knew there were markets that were not going to come back to their pre-financial crisis level, specifically construction and automotive.  We knew there were downsizing actions we needed to take, and we wanted to do enough because we wanted to survive.  We knew if we let it go for long enough, the business would sink, and that would have had a much bigger impact on the lives of our employees.

One of the more powerful things we did was preserve the talent we had and have been investing in throughout the years. We called them “Mega Projects” and figured out a way to deploy them into other roles needed in the organization. We provided training and, through careful thought by leadership, sustained the long-term survival of the business.

Is there anything else that you want to share, about DuPont or on your leadership philosophy?

I made the choice of [working with] DuPont because of the people I met and the diversity of the company.  It was pretty exciting to think I wasn’t just going to be working in one area.  Thirty years later, I have lived every single day of my career the wisdom of that choice. It’s just an amazing place with amazing, smart people who want not only to make technological breakthroughs, but who get totally energized with the “big purpose” stuff of feeding the world.  Sometimes you make wise choices, and it’s more luck than wisdom.

ABOUT MARITZA POZA-GRISE: Maritza Poza-Grise is vice president of DuPont Human Resources. She joined DuPont in 1980 as an engineer at the Edgemoor site in Wilmington, Del., where she went on to hold a variety of technical and business roles in the White Pigments, Fluoroproducts and Industrial Chemicals businesses in Wilmington. From there she went on to hold various management roles until 1999, when she was appointed director, Human Resources, DuPont Chemical Solutions Enterprise. After moving up the ranks in various project director roles, she became Human Resources director, Global Operations in 2004, and finally was named to her current position in 2008. Poza-Grise graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Chemical Engineering.

ABOUT DUPONT: As a market-driven science-based products and services company, DuPont creates sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Founded in 1802 in Wilmington, Del., DuPont first produced high-grade black powder for explosives. By the early 1900s, the company’s focus shifted to chemicals, materials and energy to meet the changing needs of consumers and businesses. Today, DuPont operates in over 90 countries to deliver innovations that make real differences in people’s lives in areas such as food and nutrition, health care, apparel, safety and security, construction, electronics and transportation. With its ability to adapt to the evolving needs of customers and a foundation of unending scientific inquiry, DuPont has become one of the world’s most innovative and successful companies. What has not changed in 200 years, however, is DuPont’s core commitment to safety and health; environmental stewardship; the highest ethical behavior; and respect for people.

You probably remember them from high school: The dreaded (or anticipated) “Most likely to/Best” lists. Best eyes: Sandy K. Funniest: Alex S. (you totally thought you had that one in the bag). Most likely to forget their kids at the grocery store: Lauren D. (yes, this one actually exists). Most likely to succeed: ??? This one, as many other results looking back, may not have panned out the way everyone thought it might. From the time we were filling these “popularity”-type lists out (or ducking from the paper airplane printouts of them being hurled at us), the way many of us define success, or perceive those most likely to achieve personal or professional success, has changed — and over time, so has the world around us.

Much is different since high school (including, hopefully, your hair style and taste for greasy squares of cafeteria pizza). And in the workplace, over the past few decades or even the past few years — the path to success, at least professionally, has become more open to diverse workers. The makeup of the U.S. civilian labor force has changed significantly, with women accounting for half of all workers and companies becoming both racially and ethnically diverse.

CareerBuilder’s 2011 Diversity in the Workplace Study surveyed more than 2,500 diverse workers to get a better grasp of how their work experience has evolved as their numbers in the U.S. workforce have grown. Much of what we found may surprise you. The study targeted the top 20 markets in the U.S. based on population, and the results for six diverse segments — African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, women, workers with disabilities, and Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender (LGBT) workers.

The survey findings point to continued inequalities between diverse and non-diverse segments in pay, career advancement and feelings of discrimination. At the same time, certain diverse segments ranked higher than non-diverse workers in compensation, reflecting a movement toward better equality in the workplace.

So, with that said, here’s a “Most likely to” list that hopefully won’t cause those high school-esque butterflies, but will instead make us all take a hard look at how far we’ve come toward workplace equality — and where we’re still falling short.

Compensation

Most likely to earn $100,000 or more:

LGBT workers, who lead the pack at 18 percent, outpacing non-diverse workers by 1 percentage point. Women were the least likely to report making $100,000 or more at only 6 percent, along with African Americans and Hispanic workers at 8 percent.

Most likely to earn less than $50,000:

Disabled workers. Among all segments, workers with disabilities were the most likely to report earning less than $50,000 at 58 percent, followed by women at 52 percent and Hispanics close behind them at 51 percent.

Discrimination

Least likely to feel discriminated against in their current job?

Asian workers, at 11 percent, were least likely to feel discriminated against in the workplace — and trended below non-diverse workers who were asked this question, 14 percent of whom said they felt discriminated against.

Most likely to feel discriminated against in their current job?

African American workers. When asked about their experience as a diverse worker, 25 percent of African American workers said they felt discriminated against in their current job — the highest of all segments asked. The next-highest group was disabled workers, 22 percent of whom reported feeling discriminated against, followed by women (19 percent) and LGBT workers (18 percent).

Career Advancement

Least likely to hold a management position?

Asian workers. Higher salaries don’t always mean higher titles, as survey results reinforced. Because while Asian workers were among the highest segment as far as earning six figures, they were the least likely to report holding a management position (only 11 percent did). Women and African Americans were right behind, with only 15 percent from each group reporting that they held a management position.

Conversely, 26 percent of non-diverse workers reported holding management titles, the highest percentage of all segments, followed by 22 percent of LGBT workers.

Plans to change jobs

Most likely to change jobs once the economy improves?

Asian workers (47 percent), African American workers (43 percent) and disabled workers (42 percent) are the highest segments to report a plan to change jobs once the economy improves. Nearly two in five of all diverse workers (38 percent) plan to make a move with an improving economy. Despite ranking lower in pay and title, women and Hispanic workers are the least likely diverse workers to pursue new positions, at 31 percent and 35 percent respectively.

What does the report tell us?

Well, while old high school lists may be good for a laugh, CareerBuilder’s 2011 Diversity in the Workplace Study results give us a landmark that we can use to consider how we’re educating about and treating all types of workers in our own workplaces, and gain new perspective on the larger diversity picture as it stands. And much like Debbie N.’s feathered mullet Best Hair award, it’s promising to think that we will look back on this several years from now and marvel at how different things “used to be” — and how much better they are now.

As Dr. Sanja Licina, Senior Director of Talent Intelligence & Consulting at CareerBuilder, says, “While companies have made strides in creating an inclusive workplace for all workers, there is still work to be done, especially n the areas of hiring, compensation and career advancement.”

Read the full report for other interesting details about discrimination, pay, and why some diverse workers don’t market themselves as such when looking for a position — or check out the infographic for a snapshot.

What are your thoughts on the report findings?

Confession: Until recently, every time I heard “mobile,” I would immediately picture Randy Quaid’s Cousin Eddie saying, “That there’s an RV,” in reference to the makeshift mobile home he’s just parked in front of the Griswold house in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

Anyone else? No, probably not…

Lately, however, every time I hear the word “mobile,” I automatically think “recruitment” – thanks to the many conversations I’ve heard – and had – around the use of mobile as a recruitment tool over the past few months.

What these conversations often come down to is one simple fact: Employers and recruiters who don’t “go mobile” will simply get left behind.

Mobile technologies enable employers to reach the millions of job seekers who use mobile devices to search for jobs, research companies and connect with referrals. The sooner employers and recruiters realize this, the more competitive they will be in their search for top candidates.

Going mobile, however, isn’t about what you have to lose, but about everything you have to gain. In general, there are two major benefits to mobile recruiting:

• Convenience: Many of today’s mobile devices offer all the same speed and capability of a PC, but with almost unlimited accessibility.
• Immediacy: Mobile devices also enable users to  respond and react instantly.

5 (More) Benefits to Mobile Recruitment
If you want to delve even deeper into the benefits of creating a mobile recruiting strategy, consider these five:

1. Better Branding: When you’re mobile, you’re already ahead of those employers who aren’t. The ‘mobile movement’ also enables you to broaden your social media recruitment efforts, as more job seekers use their mobile devices to check and update their various social media accounts while on the go.
2. Better Targeting: Thanks to geolocation technology, employers and recruiters can target job seekers according to their exact location. No matter where job seekers are, employers and recruiters can locate job seekers anytime and anywhere, automatically connecting with them about real time job opportunities and career events in their area.
3. Low Cost: Sending messages is far more cost-effective than advertising via traditional media, like newspapers, magazines, radio or television.
4. Constant Engagement with Job Seekers: Gone are the days when people had to wait until they were at their homes or office computers in order to check email, search for information or log in to their social media accounts. Today, the first thing people do when they wake up is grab their phones and check their messages – and regularly check in throughout the day, right until they put the phone down to go to sleep. In short, mobile users are constantly connected.
5. Higher Response Rates: Mobile phone messages appear more personalized, so they enjoy a higher response rate than traditional media advertisements. Not only that, but because job seekers enjoy more privacy on their personal mobile devices, they feel more freedom to respond without fear that colleagues will find out.

Another not-so-little benefit to using mobile marketing recruitment efforts? Adding mobile marketing efforts only enhances existing social media recruitment efforts. With faster access to the Internet, mobile users are increasingly updating their social media accounts via this medium.

Does your organization employ mobile recruiting efforts? If so, how? If not, why not?

Last night may have been all about love’s lessons learned the hard way over on The Bachelorette, but over on Twitter, it was all about lessons learned through the job search…

At least it was for those who participated in CareerBuilder’s most recent #cbjobchat, our monthly Twitter bringing together both job seekers and career experts, and dedicated to addressing today’s most pressing recruitment process questions.

While last night’s focus was on the job search, the conversation was by no means exclusive to job seekers. Check it out…

Beyond the job search – Last night’s best #cbjobchat sound bytes – and how they apply to the candidate search:

• @KaraSingh “Use your network and connect via social media sites.”
• How it applies to recruiting: Social networking is a two-way street. Not sure where to start? Here’s what you need to know when using social media to recruit.
• @Give2GetJobs “When it comes to the job search remember that job opportunities are everywhere! You never know when you might meet right person.”
• How it applies to recruiting: Replace “job” with “candidate” here and the same rules apply. Every social interaction is an opportunity to meet your next employee or someone who’s going to eventually introduce you to that next employee. Don’t rush it, though. As @Give2GetJobs also reminds us:”Networking is all about building relationships.”
• @tombolt Employee referrals are the number one source of new employees. Network into companies using all the tools in the drawer.
• How it applies to recruiting: Yes, employee referrals are one of the best ways to source new employees, so why wait for job seekers to find you this way? You have the resources at your disposal to build a robust employee referral program at your own company.
• @Keppie_Careers If you’re not getting interviews, it’s time to make some changes. Avoid blaming external factors (economy, ageism).
• How it applies to recruiting: If you’re not finding candidates, it’s time to make some changes and pinpoint what’s holding you back: Are you failing to sell job seekers on opportunities? Maybe you’re not taking full advantage of niche sites…Is your application process too complicated? Is your “competitive” salary offering as competitive as you think it is? Or perhaps your overall employment brand could use some tweaking…

Got something to add or an idea for a future chat? Feel free to add your two cents in the comments section below – or on Twitter using the #cbjobchat hashtag.

Thanks again to all who participated last night. And feel free to join us the first Monday night of every month at 7 p.m. Central. We’ll post reminders and details for upcoming chats on our Facebook and Twitter accounts, so make sure you’re following us!

“We place responsibility on every employee to make XO an encouraging and exciting place for other employees.”

In the following excerpt from CareerBuilder’s recent interview with Michael Toplisek, CMO of XO Communications, discusses, among other things, his leadership philosophy and his secret for staying current with both customers and employees.

What is your philosophy as it relates to people and their impact on your daily business?

Our people are our business. We sell something that is intangible, but what makes the difference is our people. My philosophy is to have happy, engaged, knowledgeable and professional people who will help separate us from the competition.

How do you engage with and relate to your employees?

We engage with employee in a number of ways. We try to be with the employees as much as possible – whether it be through monthly conference calls or making our intranet interactive and profiling employee success stories. We recently launched an employee blog, and, if my schedule allows, I host “town hall” meetings in local markets that give employees an opportunity to ask me direct questions.

What are the most important leadership lessons you’ve learned?

Communication and direction are the keys to successful leadership. You have to have the right people in place to execute a company’s strategy. Along with having the right people, leaders must also be engaged and understand their employees’ challenges and roles in order to make that happen. Ensuring that they are all working toward a common goal is also essential to achieving the company’s strategy.

Some people believe HR to be the only department with a responsibility for the organization’s people.  How do you make your overall talent strategy a priority? What role do you play in driving it?

One of our four Balanced Scorecard objectives is to make XO one of the 100 Best Places to Work. We place responsibility on every employee to make XO an encouraging and exciting place for other employees. HR has a part of the responsibility to provide the resources and tools to support that goal; however, the attitude that “it’s HR’s job” would never get us to our goal.

How do you define XO’s culture? As a leader, what is your impact on the culture?

Our culture is full of passionate and energetic employees. Their collective attitude is “never satisfied and always try to improve.” We recently launched a Balanced Scorecard initiative with stated objectives and measurements to hold ourselves accountable to our customers, our employees and our ownership. I think that initiative illustrates our goal to always improve.

How do your employees affect your business, particularly as it relates to client services?

Our employees in total equal our customers’ satisfaction. Our mantra is “think customer.” We want all employees to think about everything we do from the customer’s perspective and think, “Does this make for a better customer experience?”

What other advice would you share with your executive peers though this piece?

Choose a marketing partner with experience. Advances in technology have made it feasible and cost-effective for most companies today to develop one-to-one marketing strategies. Many consumers are using communication channels interchangeably – email, text, phone, online. This can pose a challenge for marketers, because you want to be able to ensure a consistent brand experience no matter what the channel. By improving the quality of their experience, customers will form a stronger bond with your organization and, as a result, increase your profit potential.

What do you do to rally the team and reinforce your employment brand?

We try to communicate success every day – even small successes regarding customer satisfaction or instances in which our employees are engaged in community activities or charitable events – to illustrate what it means to be XO.

What was the best hiring decision you ever made?

I implemented a cross-functional hiring process. That means new vice presidents or directors always spend time with a cross-functional team of executives to get many perspectives on a candidate – and so that the candidate can get a good perspective from every level of what it’s like to work at XO.

What other advice would you share with your executive peers though this piece?

Make sure you have enough interaction – schedule it, if necessary – with your customers and employees. Ask yourself, “Do I have my finger on the pulse of the current state of business?” Otherwise, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day challenges of our jobs.

ABOUT MICHAEL TOPLISEK: Michael Toplisek oversees XO Communications’ Business Services marketing organization, where he is responsible for marketing and sales strategy, services and solutions, pricing, acquisition and retention programs and market development. With 18 years of marketing and sales experience in the telecommunications industry, Toplisek leads an organization of customer-focused marketing professionals to help execute XO’s growth strategy. Prior to joining XO Communications, Toplisek served as a senior vice president of global enterprise and collaboration services for Global Crossing, where he oversaw worldwide enterprise, client support, sales engineering, government, systems integration and collaboration services teams. Previous experience also includes various sales leadership positions at MCI and other corporations in the telecommunications sector.

ABOUT XO COMMUNICATIONS: XO Communications is a leading nationwide provider of advanced broadband communications services and solutions for businesses, enterprises, government, carriers and service providers. XO’s customers include more than half of the Fortune 500, in addition to leading cable companies, carriers, content providers and mobile network operators. Utilizing its unique combination of high-capacity nationwide and metro networks and broadband wireless capabilities, XO Communications offers customers a broad range of managed voice, data and IP services with proven performance, scalability and value in more than 75 metropolitan markets across the United States. For more information, visit www.xo.com.

Chances are high that any salesperson you have met since 1992 can recite lines, if not the entire script, from Glengarry Glen Ross.  David Mamet’s 1984 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play was adapted to film in 1992 with the likes of Jack Lemmon, Kevin Spacey, Al Pacino and Alec Baldwin giving way to memorable quotes, and providing fodder for film buffs and sales trainers alike.

Despite the origin of the term – whether or not it was Mamet – Baldwin’s character brings the concept of the “ABCs of sales” to new life and gives entrance to modern sales vocabulary in one of the film’s most memorable scenes: Always Be Closing.  

As personal online networks like Facebook grow to more than 500 million users and professional online networks like LinkedIn hit audience levels of more than 100 million, it’s evident that when fueled by technology, connectivity is easier and more accessible than ever.  The agents in Glengarry Glen Ross may not have been concerned with the relationships they were building (or not building) in always-be-closing deals; however, as the economy and job market recover today, solidifying relationships between individuals and organizations is crucial for pipelining future talent.  

Whether your organization consists of five people or you’re part of the Fortune 500, social platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, have opened up opportunities to target and attract new candidate streams that are otherwise inaccessible. Despite your industry, user-generated outlets like YouTube and WordPress have given your audiences the ability to sing your praises or sink your battleship with their reviews of your product, process, staff, and service. 

As recruitment evolves via emerging technologies, how do you make the most of opportunities to push your brand forward? Put on spin on Baldwin’s insightful speech, making your goal to “Always Be Connecting.”

Because everyone has their 2 cents
Just as the adage goes – without being crude – opinions are like certain body parts, and everyone has them.  No matter who you are or where you come from, you will think a specific way about a place, interest, topic, etc. Opinions can be formed through first- or secondhand experiences, education, and –although we might not like to admit it – even stereotypes and biases. 

Sites like Glassdoor.com, Jobitorial.com, and Careerbliss.com provide platforms for past and present employees as well as interviewees to provide reviews of your organization.  If a candidate has a bad experience and feels as though your interviewing process was unprofessional, warranted or not, the candidate has highly popular websites on which to post that opinion.  And with 64 percent of candidates researching companies before even applying to a position, overwhelming amounts of negative 2 cents can add up to serious recruitment challenges, whereas glowing employment reviews can propel recruitment efforts.

Because it’s human nature
In just seven short years, Facebook has grown to be the world’s largest online social network, with more than 700 billion minutes spent on the site each month and a 50 percent daily log-in rate. Despite your 2 cents about Facebook, not many can argue that the phenomenon is akin to who we are as human beings – creatures with a disposition to connect to others, validate our thoughts and perhaps self-worth through those that we know, and possibly even play out our innate voyeuristic and narcissistic tendencies. (OK, so this might be a stretch. But keep in mind that photo sharing and photo viewing are top activities on the site en-masse, and the average Facebook user changes their profile picture more than 18 times a year – three times the amount they did only a couple of years ago.)

Because everyone is a passive job seeker
In the last six months, I have consulted a handful of Fortune 500 organizations that are launching social media strategies aimed at employment branding for the first time.  These organizations have been active in the social space for years, but they are just now beginning to use the platforms for recruitment and employment branding campaigns.  Just a few weeks ago, The Wall Street Journal reported a similar trend in which some boutique firms have conducted almost twice the amount of employer branding analyses than in years prior. 

Regardless of whether people will actually label themselves “active” or “passive” job seekers, it’s safe to assume that at almost any given point in time, everyone, no matter how happy they are with their position and organization, is a passive jobseeker. People are typically taught and encouraged to pursue greater opportunities and not accept complacency. Managers don’t accept mediocre performance, and people shouldn’t accept mediocrity in their careers. No matter how sufficed one might be in their career, opportunities for advancement, increases in pay or benefits, better work-life balances, shorter commuting times, and more flexible hours can all be motivating factors for a happy and high-performing individual to move to another organization. As most recruiters and hiring managers know, talent is hard to find and equally hard to keep. 

As the job market recovers, expect to see more and more companies marketing their organization almost as a product to candidates – a product that is desired, offers value beyond a paycheck and has many other happy customers (in the form of current employees). 

The future of recruitment truly does transform Mamet and Baldwin’s “Always Be Closing” concept to “Always Be Connecting.”  Social media and employment branding are now part of the strategies for pipelining talent post-recession. Note that social media is not going to take the place of email marketing, targeted advertising, out of home advertising, print, TV, radio or any other platform on which your company currently sees recruitment success.  Instead, it’s a supplement – an ongoing effort. Social media takes strategy and helps forms the right path for conversations.  And while it – like people – may not be 100 percent controllable – social media gives your organization and the individuals at your organization the opportunity to create connections. Through it, you can actually show your company’s value proposition as well as give your employees – real people with unique stories – the opportunity to share how they contribute to your company’s success. It’s these stories from these brand advocates that will give life, reason and passion to why they’re working for your organization and why others should, too.  

As a company with a growing employment brand, you’ll be able to participate in online conversations where appropriate, engage current and future employees and enthusiasts, provide a platform of information and education for your targeted audience to discuss topics of interest, and truly begin a long-term and evolving strategy for your employment value proposition.   

How do you plan to enhance your recruitment efforts through the “Always Be Connecting” principle? Share your thoughts below!

Information Age business leaders make critical decisions daily in an ever-changing world. They have access to more data than ever before, which is only accelerated by Internet search, social media and mobile technology.

Harnessing this information can offer companies great insight into the habits, preferences and behaviors of their current employees, job candidates and competitors. Data can answer some of your company’s biggest questions, such as:

• Where do the job candidates who have the skill sets to drive the long-term success of my company live and work?
• What are the best, most cost-effective ways to engage my employees?
• How strong does my employment brand compare to those of my competitors?
• How do both candidates and current employees perceive my company?
• Why are candidates applying for positions with my competitors instead of with my company?

Announcing Data Not Just for Data’s Sake - Thursday, June 23^rd – 1:00 p.m. CST

Join talent intelligence and recruitment experts Will Emmons and Jason Lovelace for this free webcast, as they review the latest talent intelligence available today and assess how leaders can use this data to make smarter business and hiring decisions and gain a competitive advantage.

Learn more or register for free for this exclusive webcast here.

Presented by:
Jason Lovelace, Area Vice President, CareerBuilder, LLC
Will Emmons, Area Vice President, CareerBuilder, LLC

Related Posts:
A Recruitment Strategy Without Data Isn’t A Strategy At All
The Secrets to Their Success: What Smart Companies Understand About Talent Intelligence

Okay, not really…But it is awfully convenient (perhaps even suspicious?) that for the second year in a row, the Labor Department released May’s employment situation report on National Doughnut Day.

I say ‘convenient’ because for the second year in a row, this dual event enables Americans to eat their disappointed feelings for free at participating locations.

(I recommend the jelly doughnut, traditionally the saddest of all doughnuts, because isn’t it so true about misery loving company? Anyway, I digress…)

And I say ‘eat their feelings’ because today’s report, well….(what’s a PC way to say ‘blows’?) let’s just say these jobs reports never let us get too attached to the idea of economic recovery.

Here’s a summary:

• The U.S. economy added just 54,000 jobs in May, the fewest in eight months and far fewer than the 180,000 analysts originally anticipated.
• The pace of hiring slowed sharply from the previous three months, when the economy added an average of 220,000 new jobs. Private companies hired only 83,000 new workers in May — the fewest in nearly a year, and local governments cut 28,000 jobs, the most since November.
• The jobless rate went up to 9.1 percent from 9 percent in April.

To top it off, now the government’s all “Oh, and remember when we released last month’s numbers? Well, turns out we overestimated by about 39,000 jobs. Our bad!”

But before you reach for that second doughnut, keep in mind that you’re only allotted one per person “there are always bumps on the road to recovery, but the overall trajectory of the economy has improved dramatically over the past two years, according to the White House’s Council of Economic Advisors.

They also add, “The monthly employment and unemployment volatile and employment estimates are subject to substantial revision…it is important not to read too much into any one monthly report.”

So there ya go. With that in mind, go back to enjoying that free doughnut and consider the wisdom of Oprah, as told by dogs wearing scarves.

The woman in the grey sweatshirt stood up in front of roughly 100 others at Borders Books’ Chicago State St. location and tearfully told Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, that she’d closed her store and driven all night from her store in Ohio to see him speak in person. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be in front of you today,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion.

She, like many of us, was at Borders to see a Q&A discussion between Schultz and CBS2’s Bill Kurtis on Schultz’s new leadership memoir, Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life Without Losing Its Soul (and perhaps get a book signed or a photo taken with the man who has changed the way many people think about coffee). After the woman thanked Schultz for all that he’d done for her and her employees, Kurtis asked her why it was that she drove so far to see him – why Schultz? “He’s an inspiration, and he’s honest,” she replied, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

It’s hard to argue with the fact that Schultz and the Starbucks brand have a die-hard following – and as I sat listening in awe to the woman who traveled all night from my beloved home state of Ohio to see Schultz and express her gratitude and devotion to Schultz and Starbucks in such a personal way, I realized I was seeing the power of the Starbucks brand in action. Here was a company that, more than most any others, had built up nearly impenetrable company and employment brands, gained a legion of loyal fans, customers and employees, and grown to a massive 16,000-store, “there’s a Starbucks on nearly every corner” giant. But, as Schultz would point out, things weren’t so rosy just a few years earlier.

Flashback to 2007

“I could sense, or small, that something wasn’t quite right,” Schultz said as he addressed the overflowing crowd of fans and curious onlookers before him. He was referring to February 2007, a time when, he said, he became concerned about what was happening at Starbucks – or rather, what wasn’t happening. Little by little, Starbucks had been losing some of the signature traits it had been founded on.

In 2000, Schultz had stepped down as CEO (or, as a Starbucks employee would write it, “ceo”– they have used lowercase job titles since their early days) and became chairman, moving away from day-to-day operations to focus on global strategy and expansion. In the years that followed, store growth accelerated and stock prices soared as sales and profits increased every single quarter – until they suddenly didn’t. By 2007, things were taking a turn for the worse. “Starbucks had begun to fail itself,” Schultz said.

Bitter times

Over time, the company had been expanding the brand beyond its core into various media like music, books, and film. In addition, every quarter, there was more intense pressure to maintain annual revenue and profit increases of at least 20 percent – an ambitious goal that Schultz admits he was complicit in promoting. Amidst battle cries of “More growth!” the team had lost sight of what the Starbucks experience was really all about. Starbucks, he pointed out in his book, has always been about so much more than coffee. “But without great coffee,” he wrote, “we have no reason to exist.”

So, on Valentine’s Day 2007, Schultz sent an email to Jim Donald, the CEO of Starbucks at that time, warning of the commoditization of Starbucks (the email was aptly titled The Commoditization of the Starbucks Experience ), hoping to unleash an honest conversation that would prompt everyone to reexamine the path they were traveling. He stressed a need to get back to Starbucks’ core and make the changes necessary to evoke “ the tradition, heritage and passion they all had for the true Starbucks experience.” Unfortunately, he said, the email leaked, and the next thing he knew it was all over the Internet – and the public was in a furor. Starbucks – and Schultz himself — received a lot of criticism for his opinions, even from Starbucks’ own employees, and as he says, it undermined what he was trying to accomplish.

Online conversations took on a life of their own, and while the company was struggling to figure out how to create balance between growth and a need to preserve what the company was really about, Schultz realized that they could no longer use their stores and website to communicate and control the conversations – the public was really in control of what was being said.  Coincidentally, soon before Schultz’s email went out, three big communication changes had occurred: a week earlier, Apple had introduced the iPhone; four months earlier, Google had bought YouTube; and five months earlier, Facebook had opened up to the public.

Times were changing, and Starbucks was forced to either change with them or get left behind.

Back to the grind(s)?

Toward the end of 2007, as the situation reached a breaking point, the board decided Schultz needed to return as CEO. So, in January 2008, he did. It wasn’t his original intention, and it wasn’t an easy decision. In addition to having to tell Donald he was taking over, he was re-immersing himself in a company that was increasingly becoming viewed as one of the poster children of the recession (i.e. “save money, don’t drink at Starbucks”); people were being encouraged to look elsewhere for coffee easier on the pocket.

As he jumped back into his role as CEO, Schultz said, he realized that the issues he’d brought up in that now-infamous email back in 2007 were even larger and deeper than he had then thought. This was through no fault of people working there, he said — it was due to the fact that Starbucks was rewarding the wrong things. Factors like speed of service were praised, rather than keeping focus on the customer and the quality of the product.

Schultz’s reaction?

On February 23, 2008, “I closed every store to retrain 115,000 people – I said we were going back to the roots of the company.” Of course, the media frenzy that ensued from this decision brought many to believe that the end of Starbucks was near – that they were no longer relevant. Schultz admits it was a bold decision to retrain every single employee. His explanation? “It was honest, it was authentic, and it was necessary.” The company lost $6 million that day. And as he said, Starbucks still had a long, long way to go in solving their mounting problems – but this was a start.

Starting over, he said, involved metaphorically asking the question of employees, What does it mean not to be a bystander? “From this point, we had to create, attract and create new customers.” Gone, he says, was the time that Starbucks could do no wrong — that the company was on a “magic carpet ride” – and that profitability and likeability would happen automatically with every move the company made. Gone was the time that Starbucks was leading the conversation — now, they had to find a way to take part in the larger conversations that were happening.

Later in 2008, one month after Wall Street’s meltdown and a few weeks before Starbucks would announce significantly reduced profits for the fourth quarter, Schultz decided to get all of the store managers together — all 11,000 of them — for a leadership conference. They’d always done the conference in Seattle, and even though nearly every major city wanted to host them, Schultz said they chose a place very much in need of assistance: New Orleans. Despite the odds, Schultz knew it had to be done, to start rebuilding trust between Starbucks and its employees and invest in Starbucks’ continuing transformation — and New Orleans was the right place to do it.  Not only did they have a week-long meeting with interactive galleries, roundtables, and panels, but they also did service in the 9th Ward and helped to rebuild some of the city’s most devastated neighborhoods.

“I’ve always loved this company,” Schultz said in Onward. “Love is why I had some back as ceo and why I feel so personally responsible for its failure and success. Yet somewhere along our journey, the love our people had for Starbucks had blurred. New Orleans had brought it back into focus, and once again our values stood in stark relief… because of everything we experienced in New Orleans, it was apparent to all of us what it meant to love something — and the responsibility that goes with it.”

Moving forward

What’s happened since Schultz and the Starbucks team took major risks to turn the Starbucks experience around? Well, instant coffee (Via), for one. And Starbucks’ performance in the Q3 of fiscal 2009 marked its first earnings growth since Q1 2008 — the company earned $152 million, compared to its loss of nearly $7 million just a year earlier. As Schultz remarked in Onward, “for the first time in a long time, I felt as if we were winning.”

In July 2009, after riding out the December 2008 choice to make 401(k) retirement plans discretionary instead of automatic in light of a weak economy, Starbucks was again able to match the 401(k) contributions of eligible employees, which, to Schultz, “would not make headlines or mean much to shareholders, but for me… was as important as anything we were able to accomplish all year.”

In fiscal 2010, Starbucks revenues increased to a record $10.7 billion, and its operating income increased to $1.4 billion, up from $562 million in fiscal 2009. What’s next for Starbucks is anyone’s guess, but as Schultz says that every company must push for self-renewal and reinvention, constantly pushing the status quo, it appears he will continue to do just that.

Q&A with Howard Schultz & Bill Kurtis

After Schultz gave his initial thoughts on Starbucks’ journey over the past few years, Schultz sat down with Kurtis to answer some questions about what the Starbucks brand really means, his ideal employee, and more.

Q:  How do you define success to your employees?

A: “’Howard Schultz is not going to serve any customers — it’s you,’ is what I tell employees.” Schultz tells store managers they are responsible for what takes place in their stores, and that “The essence of what they do every day is the difference between success and failure.”

The greatest reason for the enduring relationship Starbucks has with its people and its customers is due to the values of the company, Schultz said. “We’re not perfect; we’ve made mistakes, and we’ll make some more.” “The last 12 months has been the most successful in Starbucks’ history,” Schultz said. “However, we did not leave people behind.” Part of that decision not to leave employees behind while striving to be financially successful involved keeping 401(k), cash bonuses, and benefits. Starbucks was, after all, the first U.S. company to offer both comprehensive health care coverage as well as stock options to part-time workers.

Which leads us into another question…

Q: Why are you not willing to cut the price of coffee?

A: “We will never – and I mean never – turn our backs on our employees,” Schultz replied.  The company wasn’t willing, he added, to get cheaper coffee or cut health care benefits for each of Starbucks’ employees to cut coffee prices. The premium price is tied into having the best quality beans and treating their employees well.

——————————–

Q: What will be the future role of businesses on a macro level?

A: As social services continue to lessen in government, Schultz said businesses will have to do more to provide a safety net for people, as well as provide a safety net for people to serve their communities. Social requirements of the business world are changing, and people expect more from the businesses they patronize. People have become more cost conscious, environmentally aware, health-minded and ethically driven — and are holding businesses to higher standards. Seismic changes with social and digital media, he added, are changing the way businesses must communicate with their customers; people are making buying decisions based on companies they trust and those that align with their values.

——————————–

Q: What is the Starbucks brand?

A: Schultz admitted this was a tough question to answer, as the brand really means so many different things. Instead of spitting out a textbook definition, Schultz said he wanted to explain by telling the story of Courtney, an employee in the Queen Anne, WA store. The story goes like this: Schultz walked into a Seattle store one day, and an employee there told him he was in the wrong place, and that he really needed to get to the Queen Anne store as soon as possible. When Schultz asked him why, the employee said, “You’ll know why when you get there.”

So, Schultz got in his car and drove to the Queen Anne store – a store where a long-time employee with special needs and past behavioral issues, Courtney, worked. When he walked in, customers were laughing and chatting, and he noticed that they had thrown a birthday party for Courtney. Schultz says this was such a testament for him as to the emotional relationship between the staff and customers at Starbucks. “You can’t invent or describe it,” he said –“you just know it’s real.”

Starbucks, he added, is defined by those who wear the green apron and what they stand for.” In corporate America, there’s been such a fracturing of trust; for whatever reason, there’s a lot of cynicism and unwillingness to believe.” Consequently, people are hungry to work for a company that’s larger than themselves, he said, a company in which they can find their unique place. Many people go from job to job with bad experiences, becoming increasingly cynical, and when they start working at Starbucks, expect the experience to be the same and are in disbelief that it’s actually different – that the employees and the experience is actually for real.

——————————–

Q: Who is your ideal employee?

A: “We want people to join Starbucks who have like-minded values. We need happy people – we’re a people company that serves coffee, not the other way around,” Schultz said. He added that while Starbucks is creating organic, fair trade coffee, people come into the store for a different reason. “The human, emotional experience our people create is why customers come in – it’s more than just for a cup of coffee.”

——————————–

Q: What leadership qualities do you look for?

A: Again, Schultz stressed that like-minded values are key. He said that when he returned as CEO, he had 11 direct reports, and he asked them all the same question: “If you don’t believe we can do this, or you don’t believe in me, this isn’t going to work – we’re going to have to have a private conversation.” In the next six months, he said, nine of the 11 people left the company. He needed people who believed in the dream; who believed in the business – and that candor left him with those who did.

Schultz said that as far as employee qualities, it’s important to have:

• People who trust one another
• Those who leave their egos at the door.
• Those who understand that success needs to be shared.

And to not have: People who do a great job of managing up but not managing down.

——————————–

Q: What is Starbucks’ biggest win in the last couple of years since you came back on board?

“Instant coffee,” Schultz said without hesitation. Why? “Because we were able to bring quality to instant. Great companies and entrepreneurs have to continue to push for innovation. People thought when we added instant coffee, it was the beginning of the end. But really, we did it to prove to themselves that they could replicate the taste of brewed coffee – and we did.”

——————————–

Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to take a leap of faith to pursue his or her dream?

A: In addition to getting a mentor, Schultz advised, “Dream big, then dream bigger. You have to put yourself in a position to win, and surround yourself with people who’ve done it before — with those with experience and the skill set to complement you.”

And from the look of things, Schultz isn’t done dreaming quite yet.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Your alarm goes off at 7 a.m., and your personal bot removes you from your bed, super scrubs your skin, slips on your socks (no need for shoes), flosses your teeth, makes your synthetic protein shake, puts you in your moving recliner, and programs your entire life.  Well . . . at least in the world of the creative geniuses at Pixar who created Wall-e. While we may not quite be there, yet, we are definitely heading to a technology-enabled mobile world where desktop computers, TV remotes, GPS devices, cell phones, e-readers, credit cards, portable gaming systems, and who knows what else will be on our e-device.

Indeed, mobile is taking off. Today, there are 91.4 million mobile internet users in the United States and this will jump to 132.5 million—a whopping 41.5 percent of the U.S. population—by 2015, according to eMarketer.  And of those folks who are already connected via a Smartphone, they are ϋber-connected, with 89 percent using their device throughout the day according to The Mobile Movement study by Microsoft.

 So what are all these Smartphone users doing online? When they connect, 77 percent are using a search engine and 65 percent are social networking. Tablet users do even more. According to Nielsen’s Q1 2011 Mobile Connected Device Report, 77 percent of tablet users now use the device for tasks for which they formally used their laptop or desktop computers. And it’s no surprise why. People are using these mobile devices because they help us with our daily lives. For example, you can now watch a TV show while talking to your spouse and ordering dinner. Still think we aren’t going mobile before 2020? Think again.

Our connected world is forcing companies to go where the people are and speak to them in short, yet engaging snippets of content in the form of video, tweets, text messages, games, status updates, and oh so much more. However, even though human resources departments are optimistic about social media and mobile, they are late adopters of technology, social media, and mobile computing. According to Econsultancy’s “Social Media and Online PR Report 2010,” 74 percent of companies have no integration with social media within their human resource departments and only a measly 2 percent are well integrated. And since mobile technologies normally require information technology support that social media does not, I expect human resources to be a laggard in the mobile movement, as well.

Even so, this lack of technology isn’t stopping talent from researching employers, connecting with brands, and searching for jobs. In fact, CareerBuilder has seen more than a 270 percent increase in page views on its mobile website, Android app, and iPhone app from March 2010 to March 2011.

Plus, there are a handful of techno-savvy human resources departments leading the pack for the mobile recruitment revolution. Here is a smidgen with mobile apps to get you thinking. (And if you know of others, please post them with their links.)

• PepsiCo Possibilities: mobile recruitment application for Android, iPhone, and iPad
• AT&T Jobs: mobile job search app for the iPhone
• Hyatt Careers: Android app for searching and sharing jobs
• CTCA Jobs: The Cancer Treatment Centers of America® Android app for searching and applying to jobs

And if you don’t want to create an app, don’t.  Just optimize your current web site so it is mobile friendly. Does that mean you just put the same content up there to fit the screen? No. Make it as simple as possible for people to take action – yes, that does mean you shouldn’t make them scroll (at least on the home page). Give them exactly what they need so they can read it and take action. Here are some of the companies that already embraced the mobile job seeker:

• Sodexo
• MTV Networks Careers
• Fidelity Careers
• Six Flags Career Portal
• Careers @ McDonald’s

Recruiting is marketing, and human resources needs to partner with marketing and technology, and get on board with the new communications revolution – short and sweet, where talent wants it, how talent wants it, and when talent wants it. To truly find the best people, human resources is going to have to hunt down the right candidates and capture them with content. Be the mobile bot that feeds them what they need and entices them to join your team – and start today.

Obviously, there are a lot of reasons the team over here at CareerBuilder is excited to be in Las Vegas this year for SHRM – spectacular food, shopping and shows, the chance to relive the epic skydiving Elvises scene from Honeymoon in Vegas, etc….but the chance to meet all of the conference attendees is at the top of that list. Honestly. (I mean, Vegas is great and all, but if you’ve seen one American Storm show, you’ve seen ‘em all…I’ve heard.)

SHRM, after all, provides us one of the best opportunities to get quality one-on-one time with you, the people who are the driving force behind our mission to match the right people with the right companies. That said, if you’re planning to go to SHRM this year, I highly encourage you to visit us at booth 2217 on the showroom floor.

Here’s a run-through of everything we’ve got going on:

• Cash In Your Chips and Spin to Win Free Giveaways
• Featured Presentations: The Future of Social Media Recruiting and More…
• Speak One-on-One with Our Recruitment Experts
• Special Guest: Rock DeMarco “The World’s Fastest Speed Painter”
• Featured Event: What Your CEO Wants to Know

Cash in Your Chips and Spin to Win Free Giveaways

All SHRM attendees will receive a mail piece with a custom CareerBuilder poker chip in the mail in the weeks leading up to the conference. Bring this chip with you to Vegas, where you can “cash it in” at our booth – booth 2217 – for a spin at our prize wheel. (Did I mention we’re also going to have a daily $1000 Grand Prize giveaway?)

Forgot your chip? Not a problem. You can earn additional chips by participating in any or all of the following activities taking place at our booth:

• Check out an in-booth presentation on current recruitment trends. (Detailed schedule to come)
• Participate in a social media video: Look out for our camera crew, who will be out on the showroom floor, shooting man-on-the street videos, gathering testimonials and asking job seeker questions that will be featured on our social media sites.
• Stop by a workstation and speak with one of our recruitment experts.
• Download the new CareerBuilder Mobile App.
• Follow us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
• Attend What Your CEO Wants to Know on Monday, June 27 at the Las Vegas Hilton, featuring CareerBuilder’s own CEO, Matt Ferguson

Special Guest: Rock DeMarco, The World’s Fastest Speed Painter

What would a visit to Vegas be without catching a show, amirite? Join us on Sunday, June 26 to catch renowned performance artist Rock Demarco, the “world’s fastest speed painter” as he transforms a blank canvas into a giant masterpiece. Attendees will also have the chance to win one of his completed art pieces!

Where: Booth 2217
When: Sunday, June 26, 4 pm – 7 pm

Featured Event: What Your CEO Wants to Know

This year, we’re proud to announce that our CEO, Matt Ferguson, will be a featured presenter at SHRM.  In What Your CEO Wants to Know, Ferguson will discuss a recent nationwide survey of CEOs that highlights how the CEO/HR professional relationship has evolved over the last five years. Attendees will walk away with the following insights:

• What CEOs consider to be “must knows” and “don’t cares”
• The most – and least – effective ways to get your CEO’s attention
• What today’s CEOs expect as the economy continues to heal

Where: Hilton
When: Monday, June 27, 4 pm-5:15 pm
For more information or to add this presentation to your conference schedule, visit http://cb.com/shrmceo

Stay updated! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter (follow the #cbbuzz hashtag too) and LinkedIn to make sure you don’t miss out on all the excitement CareerBuilder has to offer during SHRM 2011!

Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kick-off to summer, is upon us. Grills will be dusted off and fired up; burgers, brats and corn on the cob will be prepared; bikes will be ridden down ridiculously long paths; swimming pools will be cannonballed into; bathers will be sunned; time with family and friends will be had; and… work will be done?

A new CareerBuilder study of more than 5,600 workers shows that many employees are excitedly taking the fishing rods out of storage, only to sadly put them back hours later in an Arrested Development George Michael-type moment. Due to financial constraints and demanding work schedules, many workers are giving up their vacation plans this year by either choice or necessity (see a snapshot here). Twenty-four percent of full-time workers, in fact, reported they can’t afford to take a vacation this year, up from 21 percent in 2010.  Another 12 percent reported they can afford a vacation, but don’t have plans to take one this year.

Despite these sour numbers, the majority of workers are still planning to take some time away from work — the physical “work,” at least. Three in ten workers plan to take work with them on vacation. Thirty percent said they will contact work while on vacation, up from 25 percent last year.

On the flip side…

While some workers are stuck pretending their vacuum is a jet-ski this year, more than one-third (36 percent) of workers reported feeling more comfortable taking a vacation than they did in 2010. The economy is healing in various ways, and some people’s wallets are also healing enough that vacation is now an option. Twenty-six percent of workers are planning a vacation of 7 to 10 days, while 11 percent expect to be gone 2 weeks or longer. On the more conservative side, 24 percent are planning for a 3 to 5 days for vacation or a weekend getaway. And many (including CareerBuilder’s own VP of HR), say traveling across the world or just setting up camp in your house — and away from your office — is good for your health and may translate to better work while in the office:

“Taking advantage of vacation or paid-time-off benefits is critical not only to your well-being, but to your overall job performance,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.  “Workers who set aside time for R&R tend to have less burnout, more creative energy and higher quality output.  While financial challenges and heavy workloads may make vacation planning difficult, it’s important to find time to recharge away or at home.  It can ultimately translate into a more gratifying work experience that benefits you, your family and your employer.”

So, how can employers turn the vacation outlook from bleak to beachy? Here are Haefner’s tips for helping your employees — and you — take better advantage of time off:

1)  Encourage them to give plenty of notice. Twenty-four percent of workers reported they have had to work while their family went on vacation without them — which is the furthest thing from “fun.” Let your employees know it’s helpful if they coordinate schedules with family, friends and co-workers as early in advance as possible, to more effectively plan vacations before/after big projects and events. Advance notice also gives the vacationing employee, as well as his or her colleagues, plenty of time to prepare and adjust work loads accordingly. Set expectations as far as whether employees want or need to be contacted while on vacation, stick to what you both agree upon, and communicate that to the team as well.
2)  Don’t take them on a guilt trip. Twelve percent of workers reported they feel guilty that they’re not at work while they’re on vacation. Your organization’s vacation benefits are there for a reason — and by setting a positive tone and stressing that vacation is time for employees to enjoy themselves and forget about work as much as possible (and following through by not emailing and calling them while they’re away), you can ease that sense of guilt and show employees that they can, and should, feel good about taking time off work to relax and spend time with family and friends. The work can wait, and if you help them prepare effectively, their time out of the office will be virtually obstacle-free.
3)  Consider discounts — and if you have them, spread the word. Many employers offer discounts on personal entertainment and travel for employees that may make vacation plans more affordable — do you? If not, it’s worth looking into options for business-wide discounts; your employees will appreciate the perk and get better use out of their travel time, and you will be providing a valuable benefit that will not only make current employees happy, but will also help attract future employees to your organization.
4)  Make sure they’re covered. Don’t punish your employees who have scheduled a vacation by abandoning them — instead, give them a hand. Buddy them up with other co-workers to cross-train on responsibilities and keep track of upcoming deadlines, key contacts, and placement of important information to help everyone function more efficiently when someone is out of the office. Think broadly and evaluate how one person’s absence affects other employees who work with them; ensure that any involved parties are kept abreast of project shifts.
5)  Use ‘em or lose ‘em. Sixteen percent of workers reported they gave up vacation days in 2010 because they didn’t have time to use them. Remind employees that vacations don’t have to be an around-the-world trip; even a day off here and there can be a refreshing break from the office grind — and is better than no vacation time at all.

I would also add: Be realistic. If an employee misses 40 hours of work while on vacation, it’s not practical to expect them to make up that entire 40 hours of work once they return. Help employees prioritize what needs to get done before and after they’re gone, so they don’t feel so overloaded (and can actually enjoy their time off). Consult with them on what work is most important, and what can be eliminated or put off until they return and catch up. Some projects or tasks may be able to be jump-started early in anticipation of a vacation; others may be able to wait.

If you’re communicating with your employees and setting up expectations upfront that both parties agree upon, there won’t be surprises later — and employees won’t have to spend all year turning their cubicle into a beach resort and wishing the water cooler into a daiquiri machine.

Do you ever wonder how companies like Google, Best Buy, P&G, Harrah’s, Dell, Starbucks and Sysco – to name just a few – consistently rank on Best Places to Work and Most Desirable Employers lists? It’s not just the fancy perks like free gourmet meals, stock options, on-site fitness facilities and flex schedules. (Well, not just that, anyway.)

The secret to their success is data.

These companies are able to position themselves as best places to work because they rely on data to inform all of their recruitment decisions. They gather data on everything from job seeker and employee perceptions, behaviors and desires (including even the above-mentioned ‘fancy perks’ employees want most) to industry trends and talent supply and demand. They then analyze this data to understand where to focus their recruitment efforts to get the best return on their investment.

Harrah’s, for example, used metrics to evaluate the effects of its health and wellness programs on employee engagement and the bottom line. Starbucks and Best Buy have established metrics that can precisely identify the value of a 0.1 percent increase in engagement among employees at a particular store. Sysco implemented analytics to identify which workforce factors influence employee satisfaction and how they correlated to higher revenue, lower costs, higher retention and stronger customer loyalty. The company then applied these findings to identify what actions by management will have the greatest impact on the business. Similarly, Google used talent intelligence to identify eight effective leadership behaviors, which the company now uses as criteria when considering performance reviews and staffing decisions.

Six Habits of Highly Successful Employers
The above are just a few examples of how companies rely on data to understand both current and potential employees and use this intelligence to position themselves as desirable places to work. So how can you create a similar experience with data to see bottom-line results? Consider the following key concepts that companies who successfully recruit with data get right.

1. They accept data as a crucial element of their business strategy. Gary Loveman, CEO of Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., attributes the success of Harrah’s marketing efforts to collection and analysis of data, an effort that has permitted Harrah’s to go from “what we think to what we know.”  As my colleague Jason Lovelace noted in his post last week, companies have long used data as the basis for their marketing efforts to build their consumer brand and increase customer engagement and loyalty. Now, today’s best employers are applying the same efforts to their recruitment processes.
2. They understand that talent intelligence is an investment. Unfortunately, the data employers and recruiters need to support their hiring and recruitment decision making is often inconsistent, redundant and of poor quality. More than 75 percent of companies who participated in Taleo and Human Capital Institute’s recent Talent Intelligence Study revealed that they did not have access to the talent data they need to make important business decisions. Smart employers understand that the time and money they invest in data up front will result in a greater return and save them time and money associated with recruitment over the long haul.
3. They understand that having the right data is only half the equation. Knowing how to apply that data is the other (crucial) half. Not only do the aforementioned companies gather data on job seekers, employees and the industry overall, they go the extra mile to ensure they implement it. They understand that no matter how good their data is, if they do not use it and apply it to their recruitment efforts, it’s utterly useless.
4. They set measurable goals. As with any business strategy, you need to start with a solid goal in mind. It’s easy to get overwhelmed or confused by the sheer abundance of data out there, so having a focused goal is crucial to help you narrow your efforts and stay focused. Again, data is an investment. Part of that investment should include finding a trustworthy data expert who can help you decide which data points to focus on to meet your goals, and later help you evaluate and create a strategy around this intelligence.
5. They know that data is not one-size-fits-all. All businesses are unique and have unique needs. Again, there are data experts who specialize in helping employers understand which types of data will help them meet their own unique goals, taking into account the various factors that affect their organization and its recruitment efforts.
6. They accept that there’s always room for improvement. No matter how efficient your current process is, there is always room for improvement or enhancement. Oftentimes, employers turn a blind eye to data because they do not want to face the possibility there are challenges to their recruitment process. While ignorance may be bliss, it comes at a price. Smart employers believe there’s no such thing as “negative” data: Every piece of information data reveals an opportunity to enhance their strategy and make them even stronger as an organization.

Bottom line: Data without context is meaningless.
Perhaps Jonathan Rosenberg, Google’s very own SVP product manager, said it best when he wrote, “Data is the sword of the 21^st century. Those who wield it well, the Samurai.”  Getting the competitive advantage in today’s market isn’t just about having the strongest data (or the sharpest sword, if you will), but knowing how to use it as well. After all, data is only as strong as what you do with it. And those employers who understand this concept will have a competitive advantage – both now and in the longer term – when it comes to attracting and retaining their greatest business asset: their employees.

Will Emmons is an Area Vice President at CareerBuilder, LLC, where he is responsible for sales strategies and revenue growth within CareerBuilder’s Enterprise Sales, Strategic Accounts Group, and Integral Accounts Group.

Exclusive webcast: Join CareerBuilder’s Area Vice Presidents Will Emmons and Jason Lovelace on Thursday, June 23 for Data Not Just for Data’s Sake, wherein they discuss adapting to the ever-changing recruitment landscape.  Learn more or register here.

As anyone who has found themselves knees-deep in a friend’s tagged photos can tell you, social media sites can be addicting. So it’s no surprise that this newer medium scares the pants off of many companies, causing them to block sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube at the office.

In fact, according to a 2010 survey by OpenDNS, Facebook was blocked by 23 percent of the provider’s business users, making it the most blocked website last year, beating out Playboy and Limewire.

This trend comes in stark contrast with the 2011’s projected $3.08 billion in social media advertising revenue from companies screaming, “I want to play, too!” And it’s making me think something here is amiss.

When stripped down, isn’t business simply all about communicating? Advertising the features of your latest product, talking to potential employees about job opportunities, fostering relationships with clients and vendors – it’s no wonder social media is the new forefront; it enables this communication to take place in a much more organic way. But companies need to harness its power internally just as much as they have begun to embrace it externally.

Is your company still weary of unblocking social media channels at the office? Consider the following:

• Is social media really a time suck? Whether they’re visiting the kitchen 20 times, online shopping, or heading outside for a few smokes, employees will find one way or another to take a break from work. And they should – numerous studies have shown that short breaks actually improve productivity and allow workers to better focus on the task at hand. Employees who are able to use break time in a reasonable way (read: the ones you keep around) will be happier for their ability to connect with their friends at work.
• Social media connects employees. The way people consume and share information is changing. Would your company ever dream of blocking informational sites like eMarketer or SHRM? Unlikely. Social networks have surpassed email as the number one online activity, and people are using the sites to learn about relevant information. Think your employees are just using Twitter to upload pictures of their latest meal? Think again. When used with a purpose, tools like Twitter lists can help to curate relevant industry content, allowing your employees to share updates with coworkers, and, overall, make your workforce smarter and more connected within the industry. 
• Help brand advocates show their love.  Where are your employees gaining momentum right now? What excites them? What articles are they reading?  While social media is often “owned” by a company’s Human Resources, Corporate Communications or Marketing department, the involvement should not end there. Many brand advocates are employees, and while many companies ask employees to wait until they get home to interact with the company’s social media sites, a much stronger connection can be felt when employees are able to jump into these accounts while at work and in a business-minded mode.
• Fuel your social media launch. Imagine you’ve spent the last several months collaborating on the design, content and strategy of your brand’s new social media site. But in an email announcing the site to employees, you note that they must wait until they get home to join and interact because the site is blocked at the office. What awaits your employees after they leave? Kids, appointments, social engagements – any number of things can get in the way of them joining the site and, therefore, your newly launched page may only attract a handful of employees.

On the flip side, I’ve run several campaigns with large and small companies that do not block social media sites at the office. By promoting their new page through mediums like internal emails and their intranet – along with some extra encouragement via contests – pages can gain hundreds of fans within just a few weeks of launching. Now, these pages have strong fan bases as well as a wealth of testimonials that are coming from the employees – not from an official corporate voice.

If you’re still hesitant about allowing your employees to dive into social media at work, creating a defined social media policy can help ease the fears of naysayers. This will give employees the confidence and freedom to know that what they are talking about is approved and encouraged; it will also help give you piece of mind that your employees are using social media at the office to discuss appropriate issues.

Do you think the benefits of allowing employees to access social media sites outweigh the costs? Let me know your thoughts!

In my work as a social media community manager for various companies, I spend a lot of time on the different platforms, and, oftentimes, even my less-than-delicate sensibilities are shocked. It’s no surprise that people on the Internet are ruder and cruder than they are in real life – they feel protected by the lack of face-to-face interaction in cyberspace. Nonetheless, when I see the expletive-laced, all-caps, or just plain aggressive posts some people make, I can’t help but think, “Do you email your mother with that keyboard?”

Not only that, but some brands seem to feel that social media is their own personal sales playground. Companies with carefully executed TV, radio, and print ads as well as eye-catching promotional campaigns think nothing of spamming fans on social media with sales pitch after sales pitch, ignoring questions and customer service issues. They’d never do this in person or over the phone, so why is it OK to be rude on social media? It’s not.

Lately, I’ve been desperately seeking politeness, so I turned to the definitive source – Emily Post. More specifically, an updated version of her most famous book: Emily Post’s Etiquette: The Definitive Guide to Manners, Completely Revised and Updated, by Peggy Post.

The book is dictionary-sized, but it’s definitely a great reference to have in your home for situations ranging from how to behave in the office to how to wait in line at the ATM and how to politely turn down a wedding invitation. Here, I’ve taken some of the tips for everyday etiquette and applied them to social media for businesses.

Standard Courtesies:

The Posts recommend using standard courtesies when presenting the “public you.” For companies and businesses, let’s just consider your Facebook and Twitter accounts to be the public you as well.

1. “Keep your voice volume to a reasonable level.” In social media terms, this means don’t post in all caps, with 10 exclamation points. Your fans followed your page because they like your brand – half the battle is won! You don’t need to sell to them – you need to engage them. Don’t post excessively, and think carefully about whether your post is relevant, fun, and social. Talking loud and often in person isn’t always the way to engage, and it won’t work on social media either. With engagement, sales and/or employee applications will come.
2. “Keep your language clean.” It should go without saying, but many people post curse words, foul language, and even direct threats on public forums like Facebook and Twitter. If your brand’s fans are posting aggressive complaints or foul language, don’t stoop to their level. Many companies find themselves in a terrible position when they unleash their snark on fans. For a primer on what not to do, see Nestle – it caused quite a ruckus last year. It’s hard to tell in writing if you’re being snarky or not. So unless it’s a really strong brand identifier for your company, keep the sarcastic comments to a minimum, even if they’re in jest. The risk of offending someone is too high. In addition, do your fans the courtesy of writing well – grace them with grammatically correct and fun-to-read posts.
3. “Stay courteous.” Don’t hijack other conversations happening on social media with an unrelated topic! You wouldn’t walk up to a group of people and interrupt them with a total non-sequitur. (Or maybe you would – in which case, stop doing that!) Why would you do the same on Facebook? Also, wait your turn. If fans are starting a conversation on social media, wait a while before jumping in. It’s kind of like when you’re in a great chatfest about last night’s TV shows with co-workers – you’re OK with the boss joining in, but when he/she does it too soon, the conversation tends to wither and die. If a brand responds immediately to every comment, it is taking away opportunities for organic engagement and potentially preventing itself from uncovering a brand evangelist!
4. “Don’t automatically take it personally.” If you’re in charge of a social media account for your company, don’t take rudeness personally. Give the offender the benefit of the doubt, and respond with patience and grace.
5. “Take responsibility for your own actions.” Don’t pass the blame. Just as you’d excuse yourself or acknowledge a faux-pas at a dinner party, if you make a mistake on social media, own up to it. If you incorrectly attribute something, make a spelling error, or post the wrong link – whatever it is – it’s best to quickly acknowledge and correct the error.
6. “Don’t ignore or delete people.” I’ve taken liberties with this one, if you couldn’t tell. But really, you wouldn’t ignore someone who spoke to you in public, why would you do so on social media? You certainly wouldn’t block them or magically delete them either! Acknowledge them in some way. (Unless their comment is spam. Feel free to totally ignore spam!)

By and large, Emily Post’s rules for etiquette consist of common courtesies we all know we should be following – whether you’re a company page admin or an individual user. Why is it that so many people don’t? Compared to past etiquette rules, we have it easy. We don’t have to wear gloves, we can address whomever we choose, hold hands in public, and giggle with reckless abandon. (All these were actual admonishments given to debutantes in the 1920s!) Compared to the constricting rules of the past, treating people with basic decency is a snap.

Treat others with kindness, and you’ll be rewarded in social media as you are in your offline life. Good conduct breeds popularity, so post with politeness. Especially when you are trying to attract top talent to work for your organization.

Aside from the items listed above, what other ways do you think companies can be more courteous online?

Wikipedia defines frienemies as “either an enemy disguised as a friend or a partner who is simultaneously a competitor and rival.”   Think about it: In your experience, are recruiting and HR enemies disguised as friends, rivals, or true business partners?

Over the years, I have witnessed many organizations in which HR and recruiting are indeed frienemies. In other words, the relationship on paper is good, but there is an undercurrent of something you can’t quite put your finger on. I’ve often wondered, “Was that a dig just now?” as someone offered a comment that could have really been either a compliment or a jab.

Let’s examine the differences between friends and frienemies in more detail:

Friends…

• Protect one another’s interests
• Respect each other’s differences
• Value one another’s contributions
• Support and reinforce the efforts of the other
• Respectfully disagree
• Encourage direct communication

Frienemies…

• Shift the focus off the other person’s accomplishments
• Devalue the other person’s function
• Downplay the other person’s contributions
• Undermine the other person’s efforts
• Circumvent direct communications and favor gossip or tattle-tailing
• Plague new ideas with negativity

Frienemies in action

I’ve listened in on many meetings where one party talked about what was wrong with the new hires recruiting had brought on, or a manager mentioned that HR was not responding to some need. Such is the life of “frienemies,” as they just can’t help themselves.  They sabotage you and secretly (or maybe not so secretly) enjoy it.

I’ve also witnessed many organizations where these two parties work powerfully in tandem. High levels of accountability and consistency are hallmarks of this type of environment, so it’s no surprise that these organizations happen to be the highest performing ones.

The potential for conflict between HR and recruiting is high, even though they often share a reporting structure. This is due in part to fundamental differences between the two groups:

1. Each focuses on different skill sets.
2. Often they are blended into the same hierarchy, typically under an HR umbrella, implying that greater value belongs to HR.
3. HR may have more authority than recruiting.
4. Recruiting is typically more operations-focused.
5. HR is about administration and compliance.
6. Recruiting is about selling an employment value proposition and company culture.

Most of the time, someone who is really good at HR rarely favors recruiting, and vice versa. This is because recruiting is more sales oriented, where HR is more administration oriented — and these are completely different skill sets.  There is no good or bad; they are just different.

I will confess that I have my own biases. I started out strictly dedicated to talent acquisition. I would have made a terrible HR generalist. The thought of having to handle compensation and benefits was enough to send me into the fetal position in a corner. And here’s the key: You don’t want me doing that work — it’s not what I’m best at. The value I bring to an organization is in selling their employment value proposition to the market and figuring out who should work for them.

How can HR and recruiting work better together?

Organizations that are most effective understand and value the differences between HR and recruiting.  They don’t elevate one and cripple the other; they work in partnership. What does that look like in real life?

• At an organizational level, this means that how we bring people into an organization matches how we evaluate their performance over time. It means that the promises we make on the front end are fulfilled post-hire. Both departments have to work together to ensure a consistent process and experience, from the first time we speak with a potential candidate through the last day of employment.
• Day to day, it boils down to how a recruiter and an HR generalist each does his or her job. When a recruiter is hiring a new employee, he or she thinks about the fit for the long haul. The recruiter doesn’t set unrealistic expectations for an employee that creates employee relation problems later. The recruiter thinks it all the way through and supports the efforts that happen after the offer is accepted.
• From an HR perspective, the generalist coaches the manager to separate management and hiring issues. They don’t allow the recruiter to be surprised by sudden staff changes or a change in the urgency of the need. They sound a warning when the manager is about to make a decision without involving the recruiting department that impacts how talent is brought on board.

Both functions working together can be a powerful engine to move an organization toward their performance goals. Being frienemies is a handicap, and undermines both efforts. It can unknowingly encourage operations to dismiss or even ignore all of recruiting and HR’s efforts.

It’s a choice you must also make. Have you chosen to be  “frienemies” with your recruiting or HR colleague — or true business partners?

“Our employees are the heart and soul of our business and the reason we continue to enjoy prosperity and growth.”

In the following excerpt from CareerBuilder’s recent interview with Carl Albright, CEO of InfoCision, Albright reveals, among other things, his leadership philosophy, the impact people have on his business, and how a first-grader gave him his greatest leadership lesson.

WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY AS IT RELATES TO PEOPLE AND THEIR IMPACT ON YOUR DAILY BUSINESS?
Join us at any employee of the month ceremony, and you’ll hear the same sentiments time and again:  “I love it here,” and “I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.” These sentiments come from a very simple philosophy on which InfoCision was founded over 28 years ago: People make a difference. InfoCision’s vision is to be the highest quality direct marketing provider of the 21st century. “Commitment to Excellence” underscores our uncompromising commitment to quality and integrity. “Whatever It Takes” reflects our willingness to go above and beyond. These two simple ideas define how we interact with each other, our clients, our vendors/partners, and anyone else we come in contact with.

HOW DO YOU ENGAGE WITH AND RELATE TO YOUR EMPLOYEES?
Engaging employees is a top priority for InfoCision, and frequently telling our employees how they each generate value and help the company is key. Daily, we work hard to break down barriers that can hinder communication. We maintain and promote a true open-door policy, creating an atmosphere of mutual trust. At every level, we encourage open communication, feedback and discussion.  I personally attend our 30-plus call center employee of the month ceremonies, providing a company update and short- and long-term outlooks. During these town hall-style meetings, employees are free to ask any question, and I always give an honest answer.

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP LESSONS YOU’VE LEARNED?
The most important leadership lesson I’ve learned didn’t come from a book or mentor; it actually came from my son. Both he and his brother play sports and have the potential to be very good athletes. One day I asked my oldest, who is in first grade, why he thought his friends liked him – fully expecting him to say it’s because he’s good at sports. But instead, he said it’s because he’s nice. When I asked him again, he said it’s because “I let the girls play kickball with us.” When I asked him once more, he said it’s because “I roll the ball slowly to Petey, who has a hard time kicking the ball.” I was really proud of his answers, because just like in business, it comes down to giving the ultimate effort…and being humble.

HOW DO YOUR EMPLOYEES AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO CLIENT SERVICES?
By creating an award-winning workplace, we are able to attract, retain and motivate top-performers. The fact that they enjoy their jobs and feel valued comes across in their daily interactions. The result is a higher ROI for our clients and a competitive advantage for us.  Our employees are the heart and soul of our business and the reason we continue to enjoy prosperity and growth.

HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR OVERALL TALENT STRATEGY A PRIORITY?
First and foremost, we strive to make sure our employees feel that InfoCision is a place where they can create a fulfilling career for themselves. Employees are free and encouraged to seek out new roles within the company. In fact, four executives started on the phones, and I started out as an assistant call center supervisor. In 2002, I created InfoCision Management Corporate University to provide a clear path for advancement and the training and development needed to succeed – all at no cost to employees and all on company time.  We have the best talent in the industry – truly talented and innovative professionals – and our continued growth is a reflection of that. Our staffing levels grew by 14 percent in 2010, and in 2011 we’re projecting a 10 percent increase.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO RALLY THE TEAM AND REINFORCE YOUR EMPLOYMENT BRAND?
Our business is about building relationships, and InfoCision has a unique view of the relationship world. Having been a teleservices company for close to three decades, we have expanded into a full-service, multichannel marketing partner. Technology, coupled with the struggling economy, has changed the way marketers are forming and maintaining relationships. But one constant that has always risen to the top is to deliver an extraordinary customer experience.

WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU SHARE WITH YOUR EXECUTIVE PEERS?
Choose a marketing partner with experience. Advances in technology have made it feasible and cost-effective for most companies today to develop one-to-one marketing strategies. Many consumers are using communication channels interchangeably – e-mail, text, phone, online. This can pose a challenge for marketers, because you want to be able to ensure a consistent brand experience no matter what the channel. By improving the quality of their experience, customers will form a stronger bond with your organization and, as a result, increase your profit potential.

ABOUT CARL ALBRIGHT: As President and CEO of InfoCision, Carl Albright oversees all aspects of the company’s day-to-day operations. A 20-year veteran of InfoCision, Carl started his career as Assistant Call Center Supervisor and working his way up to fill such roles as Director of Telemarketing, Senior Vice President of Call Center Operations and Chief Operating Officer. Since Carl took over as President, InfoCision has experienced 50 percent growth, and is now the second largest privately held teleservices company, operating 34 call centers throughout Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Carl has also revolutionized InfoCision’s benefits by investing over $1 million dollars in employee health and wellness programs that include on-site physicians and clinics, fitness centers, child care centers, health fairs, and numerous company-sponsored wellness and fitness programs.

ABOUT INFOCISION: Our clients are the household names most Americans know and depend on. As a leading provider of contact center solutions, we serve many verticals – from technology and pharmaceuticals to financial services and telecommunications – and provide inbound and outbound marketing for nonprofit, religious and political organizations. No matter what market, we help establish brand, build customers, create marketing strategies and integrate teleservices into the marketing mix. Our customized core solutions can be deployed individually or combined to create a multichannel strategy that includes inbound and outbound teleservices, direct mail, fulfillment, e-mail, e-commerce, and business intelligence, to name a few. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, InfoCision operates 34 call centers at 13 locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia and has more than 4,200 employees. For more information, visit infocision.com.

My colleagues Melissa Murray Balsan and Venetta Linas Paris have already posted about the myth of, “If you build it, they will come.” But that’s not the only social media misconception that can drastically impact a company’s brand. Many businesses still believe that by avoiding social media they prevent individuals from expressing their views about their organization online.

The reality, however, is that even though it may seem scary to think about, such conversations are taking place, regardless of whether a company chooses to engage in them.

Take, for instance, Visteon, a global automotive supplier that ranked on the most recent Fortune 500 listing. The company currently does not have an official social media presence, but individuals around the world continue to discuss it online. (Please note: Visteon has several community pages on Facebook, which were auto-generated by the platform; there are also a handful of unofficial, user-generated pages from various regions.)  In fact, in a recent search on socialmention.com, using the keyword “Visteon”, more than 650 results – with positive, neutral, and negative sentiment – were found.

As you can see, Visteon’s lack of an official social presence hasn’t stopped people from expressing their opinions or sharing information about the company online. On top of that, let’s not forget about the viral effect of social media. When an individual comments or posts content online, everyone connected to him or her is exposed to those messages.

To be honest, I’m not sure why Visteon has decided not to engage in social media. Maybe it is to prevent the currently existing naysayers from posting on its accounts. Maybe the company isn’t ready to tackle such negativity. Maybe it’s unsure of how to tell its story in a positive light. Or maybe the company is still trying to figure out if they need a social media strategy. No matter the reasoning, without its own social media presence, Visteon isn’t able to respond, defend itself, answer individuals’ questions, or take advantage of the opportunities to transform unhappy individuals into brand enthusiasts. 

Speaking of brand enthusiasts, it’s important to note that while negative comments may occur and most fear the ‘what if’ of that dreaded negative comment, our team has seen substantially more positive interaction on the more than 150 client accounts we’ve worked on over the last year alone. And in taking a look at the conversations captured via socialmention.com, Visteon is also seeing a ratio of 6:1 in terms of positive to negative posts.

Even though some negative discussions about the company exist, majority of conversations are from potential or current brand enthusiasts. And that brings us to one of the keys of being successful in social media – leveraging your brand enthusiasts. Visteon has some great opportunities. One potential success may be with Akshay Koshti, who when leaving the company in March stated that his “tenure in (the) industry is a memorable experience.” While it’s not clear if Akshay left on his own accord, that’s a moot point for now. If Visteon had its own social media presence, the company would be able to leverage several opportunities. For starters, regardless of the circumstances, Visteon could thank Akshay for his years of dedicated work at the company. Secondly, Visteon could invite him to keep in touch with the company as well as all of his friends and former colleagues via the official Facebook and/or Twitter account.

By now, you’re probably wondering if people are talking about your brand. Well, let me assure you they more than likely are. So how do you find out what they are saying? Research! Today, companies are able to uncover their employment reputation by following the user-generated content and conversations on social media through various third party tools, such as socialmention.com, openbook.com, and Radian6.

But to be successful in leveraging brand enthusiasts, it takes more than just looking at the user-generated content; as referenced earlier, it’s vital for companies to analyze the findings. In order to truly uncover users’ perceptions of a company, it is necessary to identify where conversations are happening, listen to them, and analyze the findings. Every company should keep the following questions in mind:

• Where are the conversations taking place?
• What are the conversations about?
• Do the conversations show a disconnect between the company’s key initiatives and employee perceptions?
• If so, how can internal initiatives or promotions be adjusted to better align those views? 
• Are people misconstruing internal messages and, if so, is it worth adjusting the messaging?

After finding the answers to such questions, take action! By conducting research and doing nothing, you’re doing your company a major disservice – and that of your customers, both loyal and passive. Engaging with people in social spheres has the power to shift perception, broaden awareness, and drive actual transactions – whether it’s encouraging them to apply for a job or to buy a toothbrush. Instead of just watching and waiting from the sidelines, initiate conversations and foster relationships that last longer than a single website visit.

I challenge all of you to find out what people are saying about your organization and to make an action plan for engaging those in conversation with your brand today. What steps has your organization taken in creating a robust social media presence? Does your organization have an established social media policy? Let me know what you and your company are doing in the comments below.

Building an integrated recruitment strategy is a much different task today than it was three years ago. Human Resources executives have had to quickly adapt to a changing marketplace in which search engines and social media are becoming more effective platforms to source the best talent.

But how can organizations use those platforms most effectively? And more importantly, how do they utilize business intelligence to map out a recruiting strategy that takes account of a rapidly evolving market for hard-to-find skills?

Announcing Your Company in 2020: Capturing Talent to Fuel Future Growth

Recruitment strategy experts John Smith and Hope Gurion discuss the how’s and why’s of adapting to the ever-changing recruitment landscape, including practical, easy-to-apply tips and advice.

Presented by:
John Smith, Senior Vice President, CareerBuilder, LLC
Hope Gurion, Chief Development Officer, CareerBuilder, LLC

Related Posts:
Recruiting for Tomorrow Today by John Smith
Doing More With Less Through Talent Pipelining by Hope Gurion

“Our people know that what they do every day really matters, and they are all about making a difference.”

In the following excerpt from CareerBuilder’s recent interview with Glen Tullman, Chief Executive Officer of Allscripts, Tullman discusses the qualities that make for great employees – including adaptability, curiosity and empathy – and what it means to “be big and act small.”

WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY AS IT RELATES TO PEOPLE AND THEIR IMPACT ON YOUR BUSINESS?
I’ve been fortunate to run three publicly traded companies during my career, and while each sold software, it was pretty clear that the real business was about change management — getting people to use our software to do things differently. The process of change management is a people-oriented process that required each of my companies to have smart, committed people who can empathize with the client. We believe that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Simply put, people are the business. They develop our innovative software, sell it, install it and support it. The way they do that is what makes us special. We talk with them about making a difference in everything they do, and that’s what our clients notice.

HOW DO YOU ENGAGE WITH AND RELATE TO YOUR EMPLOYEES?
When you are small, you have the advantage of being able to develop a relationship with every one of your people. As you grow, culture takes the place of those individual interactions. We have 5,500 people, and I simply can’t spend time with all of them, so we use our vision, strategy and goals to earn their commitment and help guide their decisions. For example, our vision is to create a Connected Community of Health™. People understand what being connected means, what being a part of a community is, and they buy into the need to create better health in our communities — to keep people healthy rather than just treating them after they are sick.

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP LESSONS YOU’VE LEARNED?
The first lesson is about having a vision and values and following each one. Empowering that is key. I like to say, “If it is to be… it is up to me.” The second lesson is to find people who are committed and trustworthy. We look for people who know what it takes to be the best. We want people with energy, curiosity and a commitment to giving back. The third lesson is gaining comfort with the fact that change is the norm. It’s better to have people who are lifelong learners, comfortable with change, because the rate of change will continue to increase, and flexibility and adaptability will become even more critical with each passing year.

HOW DO YOUR EMPLOYEES AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO PATIENT CARE?
Allscripts is unique. Not many companies are focused on transforming an industry, so it’s important that our people have both energy and persistence. Health care isn’t just any industry; it touches every family in America, and getting it right can be a life or death situation. Our team recognizes the significance of that and the importance of their work in “getting it right.” The United States can’t continue to be a world leader unless we fix our health care system. Our people understand our mission and have enormous passion about it. This year, our software will touch more than 200 million Americans. Our people know that what they do every day really matters, and they are all about making a difference.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE THE CULTURE AT ALLSCRIPTS? WHAT ROLE DO YOU PLAY IN REINFORCING THE CULTURE?
We have a hands-on, entrepreneurial spirit, and the challenge I give our team is “be big and act small.” For us, that means caring deeply about our clients and our people, having fun and innovating in all that we do, and making a difference in our communities and in people’s lives. Culture begins at the top. As a leader, I know that people watch what I do, not what I say. So I get directly involved in the toughest problems, stay very close to our clients and try to have as much interaction with our frontline employees as possible. It’s very challenging to do and to do it right, but that’s the core of leadership.

ABOUT GLEN TULLMAN: Glen Tullman is chief executive officer of Allscripts. He joined the company in 1997 and led its transition into the health care information sector, driving Allscripts to become the leading provider of clinical software, connectivity and information solutions. Prior to joining Allscripts, Mr. Tullman was chief operating officer of Enterprise Systems, Inc., a leading health care information services company. He has also served in a number of management roles, including president and chief operating officer of CCC Information Services. Mr. Tullman graduated from Bucknell University Magna Cum Laude with a double major in economics and psychology. Mr. Tullman has been recognized as CEO of the Year by the Illinois Information Technology Association, Ernst & Young’s 2008 Entrepreneur of the Year in the technology category for the Midwest region. He was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame and was named one of Health Data Management’s 2010 “game changers.”

ABOUT ALLSCRIPTS: Allscripts (NASDAQ: MDRX) provides innovative solutions that empower all stakeholders across the health care continuum to deliver world-class outcomes. The company’s clinical, financial, connectivity and information solutions for hospitals, physicians and post-acute organizations are the essential technologies that enable a Connected Community of Health™. To learn more about Allscripts, please visit www.allscripts.com, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

SPECIAL GIVEAWAY: See how you can get a free copy of one of two best-selling leadership books! See contest details below!

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: Authored by Lisa Orrell. Orrell is known globally as The Generation Relations Expert. She is the author of the top-selling books Millennials Incorporated and Millennials into Leadership. In the final part of this three-part series, Orrell further explains the importance of training your Millennial employees for leadership roles – and shares practical tips for teaching your employees that crucial leadership skill: problem-solving.

As a consultant, I often hear employers tell me that one of their main challenges – and one they feel their Millennials struggle with – is problem solving. With that in mind, I’d like to share the following tips for problem solving, which you can share with your Millennial team members as you continue to groom them for leadership.

12 Problem-Solving Tips to Teach Your Gen Y Future Leaders:

1. Leaders First Envision Success: Leaders know that every problem has an answer; it just needs to be found. Worrying about the problem gets you nowhere, while working towards the answer will get you everywhere. Leaders control their attitude and focus on results.
2. Leaders Clarify the Problem: Leaders determine what’s wrong by cutting through clutter and noise, and by focusing on the issues that are at the core of the problem.
3. Leaders Get the Facts: Leaders collect all the facts about the problem because they know that some problems are not as big as they seem. Fact-finding is an analytical, rather than an emotional task, so it is useful in other ways, too. When a follower comes to a leader with a problem, a good leader will start asking questions and gather the facts, rather than engage in an emotional discussion.  Fact-finding is a process and you may have to dig deep to get to the real problem. Leaders are great at asking the right fact-finding questions. They’re also adept at listening to the answers and “hearing” any sub-text that could illuminate the situation.
4. Leaders Start By Looking to Themselves for Possible Solutions: If the problem does need attention quickly, leaders first look to themselves for answers. They ponder what actions they might take personally that could resolve the problem. They brainstorm all ideas and write them down. If the problem was developed by someone else, they ask that person how they think it should be resolved. And if the issue is significant, the leader will go to their team, or trusted advisors, for idea sharing. Being able to get a variety of solutions to choose from, from people with different perspectives and experience, is powerful.
5. Leaders Continually Self-Evaluate: Leaders constantly assess whether the process is going well, if the solutions being discussed make sense, and if they are doing everything they can to solve the issue.
6. Leaders Do Research: Leaders consider what research would be valuable to their problem-solving efforts (like searching the Internet, asking other people, reading books, etc.). Leaders do not think of themselves as all-knowing and understand that the first instinct for an answer is not necessarily the best. Sometimes when you are too knowledgeable about a subject, you can overlook something obvious.
7. Leaders Make Decisions: Leaders pick a solution and implement it. They may start with a quick-fix solution and follow up with a more long-lasting fix, but they decide what needs to be done…and they do it.
8. Leaders Follow Through: Effective leaders don’t just implement the solution and turn away. They follow through with making sure necessary team members are also doing their part (if required). And they ask everyone involved how they think the “solution” is working out now that it’s actually being used.
9. Leaders Create Achievable Markers: Leaders break the problem-solving process into small steps, and then focus on the most immediate steps. They know how to break problems down into their component tasks and then track the progress of each one over measure.
10. Leaders Aren’t Too Proud to Say “I’m Wrong”: Be ready to undo whatever (ineffective) solution you implemented without shame. A respected leader is never embarrassed to correct mistakes. Without mistakes no progress would ever be made!
11. Leaders Don’t Just Know How to Solve Problems; They Know How to Find Them: Great leaders can detect smoke, rather than simply trying to fight raging fires. That’s the type of leader you should groom your Millennials to be. And it’s critical they have a good rapport with their team to encourage them to share bad news, red flags, or concerns with them quickly!
12. Leaders Take Ownership: Ineffective leaders try to pass-the-buck by placing the blame on their peers or employees. They act like small children on a playground when confronted by an adult after a toy is broken; all of them point fingers at each other. But when you’re a boss and something in your department or team is “broken,” and your supervisor asks you how or why it happened, you must own it as the team leader.

Finally, if nothing else, remember that great leaders view problems as opportunities. They recognize that problems happen, even in very successful organizations, despite the best leadership talent and most sophisticated management techniques. They actually embrace problems, because they see them as opportunities to learn and improve. Therefore, they seek out problems rather than sweep them under the rug. Tell your Millennials not be sweepers!

If you missed the first two parts of this series on preparing your Millennial employees for leadership, you can read about “6 Ways to Retain Your Gen Y Future Leaders” and “9 Ways to Teach Gen Y Employees a Leadership Mindset” now.

Want to win a free copy of Millennials into Leadership or Millennials Incorporated?

WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR WORKING WITH MILLENNIALS? Whether you work with Millennials, or are one yourself, chances are you have some nuggets of wisdom to offer. Give us your thoughts, and you could win one of Lisa Orrell’s best-selling leadership books.

HOW TO ENTER:
In the comments section below, simply submit a one- or two-sentence answer to this question: “What advice do you have for working with Millennials?” Ten (10) lucky winners will be drawn at random to receive a copy of one of the books of their choosing: Millennials into Leadership or Millennials Incorporated. See contest rules for details.

The economy added 244,000 jobs in April, marking the third straight month that job gains surpassed 200,000 and the biggest hiring spree in five years, the BLS reported today.

Despite the job gains, however, the unemployment rate mysteriously increased from 8.8 percent to 9 percent.

But before you freak out over seeing the unemployment rate increase, remember the advice Ginny gave Sam when she thought everyone forgot her birthday in Sixteen Candles: that kind of worry is bad for your complexion.

In other words, while the increased unemployment rate is discouraging – especially after months of seeing it go down – our energy is better spent focusing on the fact that job growth continues to increase.

As the White House’s Council of Economic Advisors points out in its employment situation release today, while faster job growth is needed to replace the jobs lost in the downturn, there are “signs that the initiatives put in place by this Administration – such as the payroll tax cut and business incentives for investment – are creating the conditions for companies to add new jobs and foster the industries of the future.”

And in an interview on CNBC’s Squawkbox yesterday , CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson provided further proof that the economy continues to strengthen. Among the signs of a strengthening job market, Ferguson points to the steady increase of job listings on CareerBuilder.com, as well as the recent hiring survey about employers’ plans to grow their staffs in the coming months.

If you want to see the full BLS release, you can go here, but below are some highlights from the report:

• Total employment grew by 244,000 jobs in April. Private sector jobs grew by 268,000 in April, the strongest monthly growth in five years.
• Since February 2010, total payroll employment has grown by 1.8 million, and private sector employment has increased by 2.1 million over the same period.
• At 13.7 million, the number of unemployed persons was little changed from last month.
• The unemployment rate edged up from 8.8 to 9.0 percent over the month but was 0.8 percentage point lower than in November.
• The average workweek for all employees remained the same since March, at 34.4 hours.
• Average hourly earnings for all employees increased by 3 cents, to $22.95.
• The number of unemployed people dipped to 13.5 million in March, still almost double since before the recession began in December 2007.
• The BLS revised previous months’ nonfarm payroll numbers to reflect an added 235,000 jobs (as opposed to 194,000) in February and 221,000 (up from 216,000) in March.

Choosy moms choose — work? Or family? That’s the struggle many working moms are facing, as many working moms say they’re having trouble finding the time to both support their families financially and be home with their families.

Although the economy has made significant improvements since we talked with CareerBuilder’s Mary Delaney about working moms one year ago, many families are still surviving on just one working parent; more than one-third (35 percent) of working moms and 44 percent of working dads surveyed by CareerBuilder said they are the sole financial provider for their household.

In addition to the fact that one parent is often trying to be the sole provider financially while also being physically and emotionally there for their family, the burden may be even heavier for women, more of whom reported they earned a low salary than did male respondents.

Just how much lower of a salary?

Comparing these two groups, working moms who were the sole provider were three times as likely to earn less than $35,000 (45 percent of moms compared to 15 percent of dads), while working dads were more than twice as likely to earn $50,000 or more (63 percent of dads versus 28 percent of moms) and nearly three times as likely to earn six figures (18 percent of dads compared to 7 percent of moms), according to the 2011 CareerBuilder Mother’s Day survey. The survey was conducted among 484 working moms and 836 working dads, employed full-time, with children 18 and under living in the household.

Quality — but not quantity

Working moms are still facing less quality time at home due to financial challenges, heavier workloads and longer hours in the office — and despite an improving economy, this reality has actually worsened. One quarter of all working moms said they spend two hours or less with their children each work day, up from 18 percent in 2010.  Twenty-four percent take work home at least once a week.

Workers want employer support

Many workers are on the search to find that perfect work/life balance — and for working parents, it’s top priority. Despite any existing financial struggles, 31 percent of all working moms said they would take a job with less pay if it meant they could spend more time with their children.

For employers, that’s a statistic worth paying attention to. Working moms want flexible options to help them spend more time with their families — and in an environment when many of them are working with less pay, longer hours and extremely heavy workloads, consider the benefits to both them and your organization that more balance in their lives could bring. Happier employees who feel that their needs are valued in an organization are more likely to want to stay with your company and contribute in the long run.

“While all indications point to economic recovery, working moms are still waiting to feel the effects,” said Hope Gurion, Chief Development Officer at CareerBuilder and mother of two. “However, these moms possess a great deal of resourcefulness and resilience and continue to provide for their families.  While moms say they would give up things, including pay, to spend more time with their children, they are making the most of the time they do have and getting creative in work arrangements.”

Gurion recommends the following tips for working moms who are overworked:

1. Talk to other moms – Many families are in the same boat as you, and having a support network is essential to your personal and professional sanity. Get tips from other working moms on how they juggle personal and professional commitments, how they’ve managed through difficult financial situations and how they’ve moved ahead in their careers.
2. Keep an “I’m Fabulous” file – Keep track of all of your accomplishments within the organization, quantifying results whenever possible, and list out the additional responsibilities you have taken on in the last year.  It helps you to build your case when negotiating for a better salary or consideration for promotion with your employer.
3. Go in with a game plan – The vast majority of working moms who have taken advantage of flexible work arrangements said it hasn’t negatively impacted their careers, so talk to your supervisor or HR department and explore options. Make sure to come to that conversation with a game plan on how you can manage workload and cover responsibilities.
4. Get organized – Structure in your life will save you time, stress and mental energy. Keep one calendar for business and family commitments to avoid double-booking. Set up a schedule for chores, homework, family activities, playtime, and other family commitments.
5. Remember quality over quantity – Make the most of your personal time. When you’re home, it’s all about them. Wait until after the children go to bed before checking email or finishing up that presentation.
6. Schedule “me time” – Working moms need to take care of themselves too. Put actual time on the calendar for an hour or more of doing something you enjoy like going to the gym, taking a walk, or reading.

Don’t worry, working dads — though this survey focused on working moms, we’ve got you covered. Check out our five tips to help fathers better balance their work and family lives for some great ideas on de-stressing and re-focusing. And, really, many of the tips above apply to working parents in general, not just mothers — so they may also help you formulate the game plan you need moving forward.

Employers, have you been helping working parents achieve more of a work/life balance? If so, how?

Content strategist Mike Loukides recently wrote, “The future belongs to the companies who figure out how to collect and use data successfully.”

While he may have been referring to marketing data, he could easily have been referring to recruitment. After all, recruitment essentially is just another form of marketing. Why do advertisers create focus groups? Administer surveys? Study consumers? They take the time to gather information on their consumers, analyze it, and use it to inform their marketing strategy and ultimately keep them ahead of the competition in the eyes of their target audience.

When it comes to recruiting, the importance of data to inform key decisions is no different. It is crucial that hiring managers and recruiters understand their target audience – who they are, what they value, how they approach their job search – in order to ensure they are reaching this audience with the right messages, at the right times and through the right channels.

Gone are the days when recruiters and hiring managers could get away with simply putting a job ad in a local paper, hoping people apply. Today, recruitment – that is, the efforts that attract, engage and retain the highest quality of employees – requires a strategy, and the key to that strategy is data.

And with more job seeker and employee data available than ever, employers today have no good reason not to use data to inform their recruiting efforts. In fact, ignoring this data is downright detrimental to their organizations, considering that the competition for attracting and retaining the best talent is more intense than ever.  Today’s savviest employers are already using data as part of their recruitment strategy, and the trend is only increasing; those who are not quick to embrace data will simply fall behind.

Data 101
Perhaps I should back up a bit, though. When I refer to ‘data,’ I’m referring to the years of research gathered from various job seeker, employee and employer surveys and tracking tools – all of which enable employers to make the most informed decisions around how to best grow their organization.

Still skeptical about the power and importance of data? Try me. No matter how baffling, how complicated or how seemingly obscure, there is almost no question regarding your recruitment process data cannot help you answer.  Even questions you didn’t know you had may be answered through data analysis. Take the following:

• Employment brand: What are the messages I’m sending to candidates? Does the way I perceive my corporate culture differ from the way others perceive it? How can I change this? What messages do I need to send to attract the candidates I want? Data can inform the way you communicate your message about your employer brand and prove yourself as an employer of choice – enabling you to better attract and retain top talent.
• Talent drain: Which companies do my employees typically leave to come work for me? Where do they go when they leave? Is there a pattern here? Am I targeting the right candidates? Who am I competing with for candidates? What do they offer that I don’t, and can I change this?
• Supply and demand: Where are my ideal candidates located? Which area of the country? Do I need to consider non-local candidates and offer relocation services? How can I convince qualified local talent to stay and work for me?
• Relocation: Are job seekers willing to relocate? Are workers of a certain age or education level more likely to relocate than others? Are certain areas of the country more attractive to job seekers than others?
• Compensation: Is the salary I offer competitive? Does it prevent candidates from applying to my organization? How does it compare to current trends in terms of industry, location and company size?
• Diversity: How can I attract a diverse set of workers? What do job seekers with various skills, experience and educational backgrounds seek in a potential employer? What are the messages I need to communicate to attract these different groups? What can I offer at my organization to promote and implement diversity?
• Applicant drop-off: Am I attracting the right candidates, but losing them during the application process? Is there a way I can simplify the application process to ensure candidates complete the application process? What prevents people from applying to my positions?

And that doesn’t even scratch the surface…

There is so much power in recruitment data as far as what you can find out about job seekers, employees, and, ultimately, your own organization, it’s nearly impossible to justify not using it as part of your recruitment process. While the idea of implementing data into your recruitment strategy may seem overwhelming, it will ultimately save more time and money than ever once you see all the possibilities data intelligence opens up for you. Even better: you will continue to reap the rewards long after you’ve put your strategy in place.

If it helps, think of it this way: In the simplest of terms, the question you’re ultimately answering is, “How can I most efficiently attract and retain the talent who will help my organization grow?”

Otherwise, if you’re not using data, it’s all just guesswork.

Jason Lovelace is an Area Vice President at CareerBuilder, LLC, where he is responsible for sales strategies and revenue growth for companies ranging from Fortune 1,000 companies to midsized businesses throughout the U.S.

Join CareerBuilder’s Area Vice Presidents Jason Lovelace and Will Emmons on Thursday, June 23 for Data Not Just for Data’s Sake, an exclusive webcast about adapting to the ever-changing recruitment landscape. More information about the webcast and details on how to register will be posted soon.

The concept of social media is a simple one: people and content. There is nothing new about this.  People have been connecting with each other and content since the beginning of time. With the advent of technology, namely the Internet, it should be of no surprise that human beings have taken their desire for interaction to new heights as they connect with friends and family on Facebook, and with professional colleagues on LinkedIn; share and follow others with the same content interest on Twitter; watch stories unfold via video and photography on YouTube and Flickr; and produce and connect with others via the written word on WordPress and Blogger. 

People will connect to brands on social media, too. No other medium has afforded brands the opportunity to build this intimate and innate connection with desired audiences. eMarketer reports that the number one reason consumers connect with brands on Facebook is to let their social network know which brands they support.

Realistically though, how can one define the ROI of “support”?  Will it be in the form of short-term or long-term sales? Will it be in the form of traffic to a website, in which more robust content is delivered?  Is it measured on increased brand equity or sentiment for employment branding? And how does one even quantify brand equity or employment branding?    

Building Support
All too often, our team sees that organizations tend to measure the success of social media via likes, followers and subscribers. Unfortunately, “If you build it, he will come,” is quite possibly the biggest social media myth that I encounter and consult against on a daily, if not hourly, basis. (For more insight on how to resist this Field of Dreams whisper, check out Melissa Murray Balsan’s post, How to Launch in the Social Space.) Just because you are there doesn’t mean that people know or have a reason to care.  And just because you invest in content doesn’t mean people will automatically know how to find it.  

To begin growing your presence, go to the people that know and love you in the “real world.”  You already have an audience with individuals that comprise your organization as well as those who help keep the lights on by buying your products and/or services.  

• Employees: Assuming you treat them well, with the appropriate message and reason, your employees should be your first selections for brand advocates. Without them, your organization wouldn’t exist. How can their stories be framed to push your corporate initiatives forward?
• Customers: Assuming you have a good product or service, your current clients and customers are another audience base that you can preliminarily leverage to push your message forward. Again, without them, your organization wouldn’t exist. How can their voices help you with your overarching business goals? 

If you are not planning to fund the growth of your social media presence via advertising, how are you integrating and messaging your two core audiences of employees and customers to join you online? If you are not messaging your audiences and giving them a reason to participate, you are missing out on your first brand advocates. How else can you integrate your current marketing and communication materials to make audiences aware of your presence?

Realistically Define Success Metrics
Not everyone will be able to achieve nearly 26M fans on Facebook that consistently sing the praises of the organization, like Coca-Cola has done. Meanwhile, Starbucks has more than 21M fans that not only defend the business against competition but also upload user-generated content and publicly profess their taste preference for the brand.  

While 20M to 25M fans might be out of the question for most, every organization can still utilize social media to tell its corporate story. More importantly, social media affords the best platforms to leverage audiences to push that same story forward, like the trend seen on the Starbucks and Coca-Cola pages – everyday consumers publicly “loving” a product. It’s not the simple act of clicking like on a page; it’s the story that each individual shares with his/her 130 friends about your brand. 

Get Them Talking
So how do you provide a platform on which those audiences can actively participate with you? Social Media is a visual platform through which people will connect and share content. As mentioned earlier, the heart of this content should tell your corporate story. Understanding that not everyone can be the behemoths of Starbucks and Coca-Cola in size and marketing dollars, Epic MedStaff Services Inc., shares the success it has seen by empowering audiences via social media.

As an organization that recruits only the best nurses in Texas and provides top of the line care for children in their Epic Pediatric Services Division, the relationship that Epic MedStaff has with its employees is essential for its business. By providing a platform for and cultivating these relationships with employees, Epic MedStaff’s Facebook page is a great example of social storytelling. Key tactics include inviting and fostering dialogue with employees. “Social Media has allowed us to cultivate new relationships with our employees,” says Kristian Stevens, corporate recruiter for Epic MedStaff. “By utilizing Facebook, we have created an online platform where we can communicate to our employees and clients without boundaries.”

These new types of dialogues with employees have publicly garnered such commentary:

• Hello Epic, you guys are doing a great job. Keep it up… You rock!
• Day 2 of my new employment with Epic. So far so GREAT
• Today was my first day orienting at [Epic MedStaff]… I love this job!

 So what do these dialogues and public testimonials do for Epic MedStaff? Understanding that what was found through eMarketer’s report, “support” isn’t as quantifiable as traditional marketing campaigns in terms of ROI. However, Stevens tells us that these conversations have helped brand Epic MedStaff in “the online world” in a way that traditional media and marketing hasn’t been able to. Along with corporate and employment branding, these conversations “have created more awareness about who we are and the patients we serve.”

Determine Your Wins
Once you have built your preliminary audience, I challenge you to ask yourself and your colleagues how you can increase your organization’s audience base. When doing so, be sure to concentrate on what current and future audiences will give back to you via engagement and how those stories can be pushed through your current audiences to new ones.

In an ever-evolving business landscape, how can you create success out of a corporate story that you already have? The hardest part sometimes will be determining what that story is, but once you have honed in on it, create the emotional connection with your supporters so they push the story forward within their respective networks. Soon you will be on the path to creating a platform created of brand advocates – individuals willing and ready to publish testimonials to your current and future audiences.   

People and content. Social media wins are that simple. What objectives can you meet if you empower your audiences to tell your story?

Last night may have been all about love triangles and royal engagements on the CW, but over on Twitter, it was all about interviews…

At least it was for those who participated in CareerBuilder’s most recent #cbjobchat, a monthly Twitter chat dedicated to creating a conversation among hiring managers, recruiters and job seekers – and addressing the most pressing recruitment process questions and concerns you have right now.

For last night’s chat, we focused on the interview process. Recruiters, hiring managers and job seekers weighed in on everything from preparing for the interview to following up after word…with a little damage control peppered in.

Below is a recap from some of participants’ best tips and takeaways for recruiters and hiring managers. (Got anything to add? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!)

On job seekers’ favorite questions to ask the interviewer…

• @AshShute I like asking how the organization “celebrates success.”
• @Give2GetJobs I like to ask what about the job gets them up in the morning. I want to see the passion, love for the work + company
• @Give2GetJobs Think about asking the interviewer how they got started with the company.
• @rockthehunt “If I get the job, what are the 3 top deliverables you’d like to see in 30/60/90 days?”
• @THO_R A direct “What are you looking for from this position” can get you valuable insights.
• @katelorenz Don’t forget to ask about company culture and team dynamic!

[Recruiters: Be prepared for when the tables are turned. Check out more job seeker interview questions that won’t catch you off-guard.]

On what makes a job seeker a top candidate…

• @Give2GetJobs Questions are important. You need to ask questions. Make sure you think up thoughtful questions ahead of time.
• @TamrynHennessy Confidence and knowing how they can contribute.

[Get some more insight into the qualities to look for in potential employees as well as future leaders.]

On how job seekers should answer “What’s your biggest weakness?” and “Tell me about yourself”…

• @AshShute Tell me about yourself – education, where I’m from, a few hobbies. Biggest weakness – tailored to interview.
• @Give2GetJobs Tell me about yourself: Give brief work history + tie it into why you applied for and would be a good fit for the position
• @Archivist2012 I answer w/a positive and that I recognize my weaknesses and how I handle them.

[Sick of hearing the same old answers to these questions? It might be time to update the same old interview questions.]

On the biggest candidate faux pas…

• @AshShute Biggest mistake: Not asking questions.
• @ComeRecommended Never underestimate following up. It could be the difference between getting the job and falling by the wayside.
• @SGaspary One of the bigger mistakes a job seeker made with me? Asked about salary within the first 5 minutes of the interview.
• @CareerAction Candidate came to first and second interviews in the same loud outfit.
• @SGaspary I’ve had job seekers talk poorly about their past/present boss. Makes me wonder what they’ll say about me behind my back.
• @St8Wkr Answered the phone during the interview.
• @Azn_CyberSleuth Limp handshake, no eye contact, talking too fast and repeating the same things over and over again.
• @katelorenz I can’t tell you how many times a job seeker has asked what my company does.
• @webaphile Acting sullen and bored, or cocky and arrogant. You need to be likable.

[Job seekers aren’t the only ones who make faux pas: Learn more about interviewing do’s and don’t’s and how to avoid asking potentially illegal interview questions.]

Got something to add or an idea for a future chat? Feel free to add your two cents in the comments section below – or on Twitter using the #cbjobchat hashtag.

Thanks again to all who participated last night. And feel free to join us the first Monday night of every month at 7 p.m. Central. We’ll post reminders and details for upcoming chats on our Facebook and Twitter accounts, so make sure you’re following us!

“Have a clear vision, communicate it and allow yourself to be challenged by it.”

In the following excerpt from CareerBuilder’s recent interview with Robert P. Wise, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hunterdon Medical Center, Wise discusses, among other things, how growing up in a health care environment influenced his role as a leader in this industry today.

HOW DO YOU RELATE TO YOUR EMPLOYEES ON A PERSONAL BASIS WHILE ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST COMING IN AND OUT OF THE HOSPITAL ON A DAILY BASIS?
I have the benefit of having grown up in a health care environment. When I became an orderly in a nursing home it gave me an opportunity to see hierarchy at work. I saw how difficult it was for people at higher levels to communicate with people at lower levels, and I didn’t feel good about it. There was no reason why that should exist in an organization where people depend upon each other. A team is critical, and a team caring about each other and respecting each other is critical.

HOW DO YOU FOSTER A CULTURE OF LEARNING, ADVANCEMENT AND PERSONAL GROWTH?
We have a program where employees can catch other employees doing the right thing, called Caught in the Act. We probably have around a thousand Caught in the Act awards that we recognize every year in celebrations. It’s a way of [helping] employees see the good in each other and also spreads and reinforces the culture.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION YOU HAVE MADE AS A LEADER IN YOUR TENURE HERE?
I think that the most important one was when we laid off 26 employees. We had never had a layoff before, and we worked the numbers as well as we could. We had to confront the fact that we had to have a small reduction in force. To release those people I think was the toughest thing we had to do. And not only that, the workforce was negatively affected by it that rippled throughout the organization.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU SEE TODAY IN YOUR WORKFORCE?
First of all, we see employees staying in their jobs longer. The economy is telling people to retain their positions, and I think we’re the beneficiary of that retention. Experienced employees are important to reinforce the culture to celebrate our successes, and to be recognized for our growth. The second thing that they do is they reinforce the behaviors, habits and cultures in the younger generation.

WHAT ARE SOME FUTURE CHALLENGES YOU FORESEE FOR THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY?
When the tsunami of retirements hit the shores of HR departments across the country, we’ll be challenged to find talented replacements sooner than we had ever thought before. That’s why succession planning and communicating the message of the value of our organization to parents of youngsters is so important. It’s important for us to bring those individuals into our organization so that we close the understanding gap. We build that with talented employees who send the message out that this is a great place to work, and they fill the gaps themselves by recruiting for us. So the pressure is off of HR. There’s no better a reference than friend who says, ‘Come to work here because it’s a great place to work.’ You can’t beat that kind of recommendation.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR PEERS?
In our leadership positions, we CEOs have a tendency to insulate, protect ourselves and narrow our communication with others. We need to be much more vulnerable, the same way our employees are, to the changing dynamics of the organization, the economy and the every day decision. CEOs need to be more accessible to every level of the organization. You can’t do that without making sure you are in control and knowing what direction you’re going in. Have a clear vision, communicate it and allow yourself to be challenged by it and by those around you. They’re the ones to whom you’re going to delegate that responsibility for getting the job done, but always remember to give them as much autonomy and responsibility as their skills and their performance requires.

DO YOU THINK THAT PEOPLE HAVE INHERENT FEATURES THAT MAKE THEM LEADERS?
I have observed that there are certain people who are visionaries – who are blue sky, big thinkers – and who can express a vision. These people instill values by communicating effectively and  come up with wonderful ideas. But it’s not just individuals, but a process of continuous improvement with the right challenge in check. And that means that [when picking leaders] you pick people who fit those roles.

ABOUT ROBERT P. WISE: Mr. Wise has been President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hunterdon Medical Center since 1990. He also serves as President of Hunterdon Healthcare System, Hunterdon Medical Center Foundation, Hunterdon Regional Community Health and Midjersey Health Corporation. Mr. Wise received his undergraduate degree from Boston College (1969) and his Masters in Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh (1974). Prior to coming to Hunterdon Medical Center, he held administrative positions at Rancocas Hospital, Albert Einstein Medical Center and Kennedy Memorial Hospital.

ABOUT HUNTERDON HEALTHCARE.: Hunterdon Medical Center, acknowledged as a leader in developing comprehensive medical and health care services, is a 178-bed non-profit community hospital. Our goal is to meet the needs with health care that is compassionate and effective. We provide a full range of preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic inpatient and outpatient hospital and community health services. Our staff is committed to providing the highest quality care to our patients. The Hunterdon Medical Center is also a teaching institution and is affiliated with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. The Family Practice Residency Program is one of the first in the nation for the training of specialists in family medicine. Hunterdon Medical Center is licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health, and accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). It is designated a Magnet hospital for superior nursing care.

Social media is merely a new term for what we’ve always known about: water cooler talk. However, the talk no longer stays around the break room. Everyone’s opinions and idle chatter no longer spread only through word-of-mouth – they are going viral. Thoughts and opinions are now being posted, tweeted, updated, shared, taped, vlogged, linked to and seen by more people than ever before. What I like to refer to as ‘guerilla gossip’ has changed the landscape for marketing, forcing businesses to perk their ears up and listen to what people are saying about them. While many may believe that traditional advertising still has the greatest impact with – or more appropriately ‘on’ – consumers, the rubber actually meets the road with social media.

If your brand has no presence, no voice, no identity and no engagement with individuals on a personal level, then what are you saying about your organization? Are you conveying that it’s stuffy, afraid, not adaptable to change, rigid, or too erudite for such common interactions? Even if that’s not your intention, it may be how some people perceive your company simply because the brand isn’t in the game.

These days, individuals aren’t just using social media to talk to their friends and families. Across a number of social platforms, people now lambast companies faster and easier about a poor customer service rep, bad product experience, etc. And the reality is that such conversations are taking place whether or not the bashed organization is even aware.

While those conversations may scare a lot of companies, there’s a silver lining to these new forums. Companies can use these spaces as opportunities to immediately respond to frustrated individuals and transform unhappy customers into satisfied, loyal brand advocates. By engaging with individuals, companies create lasting and meaningful relationships with their customers, who may then turn around and talk about these experiences with their friends.

And that’s the point of social media – to tell your story in such a compelling way that current and potential employees and customers will want to pick up the torch and champion your story for you.  

So how does CareerBuilder fit into this? You may have thought CareerBuilder just consisted of job postings and a resume database. Well, yes, those tools are what we were built on, but, overall, CareerBuilder is truly a multimedia, data-driven organization that focuses on helping companies attract and retain their target talent. And through our Social Solutions team, we help clients identify and leverage opportunities through social media. Whether companies are looking to recruit, create a space for consumers, talk about products, or engage with their existing employee base – we can help build and/or manage a presence, and provide advice to companies that want to establish their voice in the social space, whether it’s through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.

For companies looking to use social platforms to connect with potential job candidates, it makes total sense; CareerBuilder has access to 15 years of job seeker data, and we use that intelligence to help shape each company’s social media strategy. We first started in the social recruiting arena over five years ago and launched our first blog more than six years ago. Then there was our iPhone app in 2008 and Twitter job alerts before TwitterJobSearch was even created.

And the interesting fact is, even companies that don’t want to use their social platform as a recruitment tool still choose CareerBuilder. Why? Because we understand that the key to being ‘social’ is engaging, creative, custom content. And clients rely upon the expertise of our community managers, who create great content and provide strategies that align to each company’s overall objectives.

Many companies today outsource social media due to a lack of resources, knowledge or budget to appropriately handle the job themselves.  And while advertising agencies can provide great creative, they also can rack up even greater retainer fees. If budget was the problem in the first place, then finding money to pay an agency may be just as difficult – especially for companies who just want to dip their toes in the water.

The CB Social Solutions team becomes an extension of a client’s business, managing the social media site(s) daily, recommending campaigns and relevant tie-ins, and leveraging social media with a company’s existing communication strategy. As an added bonus, services are a low-cost alternative to creative agencies.

It’s pretty simple. Social media is merely conversation, and it’s evident that no one can afford to sit out. While participation is the first step, knowing what to say and how to say it is crucial to success. Our goal is to help clients become engaged with their audiences and to realize that social media isn’t a big, bad wolf – it’s just a little bit of water cooler talk.

For a list of clients we’ve worked with, check out our list on delicious: http://www.delicious.com/cbsocial/

For more info, email cbsocial@careerbuilder.com.

I remember once walking across my college campus and noticing several groups of people snickering. I looked up to find the target of their stares: A girl walking ahead of me. She was wearing a flouncy miniskirt (which was very cool at the time) and she was completely unaware of the attention of the groups of people around her — attention brought on by the fact that the back half of her skirt was accidentally tucked into the waist of her underwear for the entire world to see.

Similarly, many organizations today are completely unaware that they are exposing their hiring “underwear” to the world.

There’s no real “getting away” from the public eye now; just ask any celebrity who just been caught picking their nose in public, only to have a picture of it published in the media that very day. Still, companies need to be much more aware of what is going on around them and how their actions are viewed by others before getting out into the public eye.

The Internet power shift

Candidates and employees have more power than ever before to use social media to reveal and comment on company behavior that used to stay locked behind company doors. Bad behavior is coming to light more often. And I think it’s a positive change; it’s time for us to be held accountable for proper hiring practices. Too often, we have swept poor hiring tactics under the rug, and those in authority didn’t really care about their actions, as there were no immediate or tangible consequences.

Are you a manager who is notoriously rude during interviews? Do you ask inappropriate questions?  Are you just plain lame in an interview setting? Or has your company asked someone to come in seven times for interviews, forcing the candidate to use up his or her entire vacation time, and then refused the candidate a  job offer?

It’s time to ask ourselves how this behavior would make us feel if we were in a candidate’s shoes, particularly in our current economy, as many people looking for jobs are frustrated, worn out, and looking  for a place to vent their frustrations. Turns out they don’t have to look very far — candidates with even just a little savvy can create YouTube videos, tweets, or blog post rants bemoaning their experience in seconds.

How much would it change the game if, in addition to candidates having the ability to spread negative company experiences, specific managers’ reputations were available to savvy candidates (typically the ones we most want to hire)? I propose that they already are. Anyone can do Google or LinkedIn research and find people to speak with, profiles, articles, and more that reveal how the manager truly behaves. We just aren’t thinking about that in a grand sense yet. I think we should.

I like the idea of candidates asserting themselves a bit and owning the fact that they are a primary decision maker in our hiring process. We should be partnering with them to find ways to make the process better — not inciting people to poison the candidate market from which we need to hire.

I’m not trying to tell you the sky is falling. Individuals have a remarkable way of being reasonable when a company makes a mistake or admits its flaws. It’s those who have been abused that we need to worry about. As the old adage goes, “no one will sue someone they like.” I think the same is true for potentially embarrassing rants and raves online. Good and reasonable people with whom we have positive relationships are not likely to scold us in public. The best managers and companies — those who embody a great place to work — will build fan clubs of people who want to work there now or in the future (including people who didn’t get the job for which they just interviewed.)

Transparency brings an unfamiliar level of accountability when it comes to hiring people. It may feel uncomfortable, but in the end, it’s going to make the whole process better for everyone.

After all, it’s always a smart idea to turn and check the mirror before you walk out in public.

As many of you are likely aware, today is the 41st anniversary of Earth Day (I know, doesn’t it feel like just yesterday that we were celebrating its 40th?).  Around the world, people are celebrating and raising awareness of Earth Day’s mission by taking part in everything from clean air and water projects, to bike rides as they ditch their cars, to sending text messages like “TREE” to donate to green causes. This year, 1 billion people are expected to participate in various activities toward making the planet a little bit greener. The goal of this year’s theme, “A Billion Acts of Green,” is to generate a billion acts of environmental service and advocacy before the global Earth Summit 2012 in Rio.

What are business doing to take part?

It’s not only good for the Earth for businesses to take part in Earth Day 2011 — it’s smart for recruitment. Job seekers are increasingly seeking out employment with environmentally responsible companies, and many companies are paying attention. As we reported last year, many companies are continuing to add “green,” or environmentally-focused, positions, and the trend doesn’t appear to be stopping anytime soon. According to recent data pulled from CareerBuilder’s Supply and Demand Portal, jobs like “environmental engineer” are in high demand. In addition, green jobs are expected to grow at the rate of a whopping 1.3 million jobs per year through 2030, and federal, state and private funding is fueling openings for those able to develop solutions for pollution control, recycling, waste management and other public health initiatives.

Greenbiz.com’s Tilde Herrera talked with executives to find out what they’re doing today — or planning for this year — to take part in Earth Day. Answers included such diverse activities as nature walks, dumpster dives, plant-a-tree kit giveaways, and bike donations. Michael Kobori, VP of social and environmental sustainability at Levi Strauss & Co., says the company is piloting a sample fabrics recycling program, as well as partnering with Goodwill to donate wearable apparel during the design process. And Gerri Walsh, director of sustainability at Ball Corporation, says the company will hold a sustainability fair, complete with interactive booths and an electronic recycler for employees to donate old electronics.

The tech sector is also celebrating Earth Day. Facebook’s “Billion Acts of Green” app enables users to choose activities like sending a letter to Congress to support green legislation, getting a home energy audit, or planting a garden, and Sprint has just released its first Android phone, the Replenish (to add to its collection of three other eco-friendly phones), built with recycled materials and energy-efficient operation in mind. Earlier this week, Sprint also launched its Green ID set of applications for Android users, which bundles a green-themed news feeds, recycling tips, personal carbon footprint trackers and more.

Still other companies are celebrating Earth Day (or even Earth Month) with some initiatives that are a little bit different. Old Navy and TerraCycle, for example, are partnering for a “flip-flops replay” in which people are encouraged to turn in old flip-flops to be melted down and used in playgrounds across the country, and health care company Merck, in addition to other initiatives like recently installed solar panels, is offering financial incentives to employees who conduct an energy audit at home and set up a carpooling guide.

How are you celebrating Earth Day 2011?

What is your company doing to take part in Earth Day today — or what has your business done recently to become more environmentally friendly? What kind of an impact is it having on your business and on your employees?

If you are looking for ideas of service projects in your local area, check out the official Earth Day 2011 site. And if you’re looking for a fantastic light show, check out tonight’s Lyrid meteor shower.

While you were busy preparing for the long-awaited reunion with Ted, Danny, Mr. Ernst and the rest of the gang at Bar None Dude Ranch, celebrating Earth Day the way Gaia always intended it, or suddenly having a new appreciation for Rebecca Black…here’s what’ s been happening in the world of workforce management…

• Employees complaining about long work hours? Show them this infographic that demonstrates working patterns around the world. They’ll shut up good when they check out Mexico, Japan and Portugal. (Life,Inc.)
• Sure, it’s all fun and games until someone gets heart disease. If your health benefits don’t cover adult onset diabetes, you might want to cool it with the office candy jar contributions. (Wall Street Journal)
• You don’t have to be a reality show star to launch a successful business. (It probably doesn’t hurt, though) (Hollywood Reporter)
• More companies finally get what Dolly Pardon was singing about. More companies are enabling employees to take a break from the traditional 9 to 5 by offering flexible working arrangements to increase retention, productivity and morale. (Fortune)
• From the playground to the workplace, bullies are everywhere. A new survey shows that not only is bullying rampant in the workplace, but bosses are the biggest offenders. (For shame!) (The Hiring Site)
• And you thought you just had to watch what you said over email…Employers be warned: Employees everywhere are now using cell phones and other digital to secretly record what they think is discriminatory or inappropriate activity at the office. (ABC News)
• If there’s one thing Hollywood loves, it’s causing workplace trouble via Twitter. ‘Glee’ producers weren’t so delighted after one of the show’s actors spoiled a major storyline. (Yahoo!)
• Offering free coffee will no longer suffice. As more reports link sleep deprivation and on-the-job mishaps, the U.S. Department of Transportation recently changed its rules to require an extra hour of rest between shifts for air traffic controllers. (Chicago Tribune)

Say what you will about reality TV: there are quality programs out there that are not only entertaining, but that truly enrich people’s lives. Just ask Shelly Sun, CEO and co-founder of BrightStar Care, one of the nation’s fastest growing private healthcare companies. Last week, Sun, along with her husband, JD, appeared on the CBS hit reality show Undercover Boss, which follows different bosses each week as they go incognito to learn more about the inner workings of their companies.

Asked if she would do it all over again, she doesn’t need to think twice: “Absolutely,” she told me in a recent phone interview, going on to describe the experience as “really impactful.”

Shelly Sun had the itch to go undercover as a boss long before her episode ever aired.  A fan of the show since its premiere in 2010, Sun recalls watching the episode featuring 7-Eleven CEO Joe DePinto and thinking, “What a great opportunity to really see what goes on the front lines.”

So it’s not surprising that when Undercover Boss producers approached Sun about appearing on the show last year, she jumped at the opportunity.  “It was a no-brainer,” Sun says about her decision to go undercover.  Before Shelly and her husband appeared on the show, “they hadn’t featured a woman, they’d never had a minority…no one who’d ever started actually put their money on the line and risked it all to have a business.” Shelly and her husband started BrightStar Care in 2002 after they couldn’t find quality and reliable home healthcare for her husband’s grandmother.  So she was excited by the opportunity to help make that happen and represent a new face of the CEO.

More than anything, however, Sun was eager to witness and pay tribute to the dedication of her caregivers and hard work of her franchisees.

“I had every confidence in the world that my franchisees were doing a great job and I have the most amazing caregivers in the country. When you believe in your product, you believe in your service, going behind the scenes didn’t seem like a scary adventure at all, but one that would be a lot of fun and that would highlight and recognize those that make more possible in our brand every day.”

Sun was hardly disappointed. Her experience working on the frontlines with her employees surpassed her expectations.  She says she had “moments of surprise” by getting to witness firsthand just how much of a difference her workers were making in the lives of their patients and customers.

Asked if she was afraid the employees featured on the show would feel betrayed or fooled, Sun says the thought never crossed her mind. Instead, she was focusing on “the opportunity to impact their life, like they’d impacted mine and impact our clients every day” by offering them such rewards as a free vacation, tuition reimbursement, and money to start a franchise.

The experience has given her a laundry list of ideas for ways to improve her employees’ professional and personal lives. For instance, she has begun looking into ways to extend the company’s new interactive communications tool, care-together.com, to help active duty workers and their families stay connected, as well as resources for helping families that have been affected by autism.

Sun also plans to create more opportunities for corporate staff members to visit and spend time with franchisees and caregivers. She wants to enable them the opportunity to “see the care these workers provide, how special they are and the risks these franchisees are taking every day to make more possible and to build and strengthen our business…I think that could strengthen our DNA and deepen our commitment across our corporate team that’s enabling so much on the front lines, behind the scenes.”

Another positive outcome of the show? The opportunity to send the message that BrightStar is a great place to work, one that takes care of its employees, and one where employees truly take pride in their work. Sun was delighted to see the pride her employees took in “working for a company where we push it to that higher standard of quality.”

So does she have any advice for other CEOs after going through this experience? “I would encourage every CEO to do this, regardless of whether you’re part of a televised event or not,” Sun told me.

“There’s only so much you can do from the corner office. I made so many more improvements to my business model by getting out there and rolling up my sleeves. Don’t wait for the TV show. Make your own undercover boss event happen.”

Related Content: “What Working on ‘Undercover Boss’ Has Taught Me”: An Interview with ‘Boss’ Creator Eli Holzman

SPECIAL GIVEAWAY: See how you can get a free copy of one of two best-selling leadership books! See contest details below!

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: Authored by Lisa Orrell. Orrell is known globally as The Generation Relations Expert. She is the author of the top-selling books Millennials Incorporated and Millennials into Leadership. In the second part of this series, Orrell shares nine ways to teach your Millennial employees how to adopt a leadership mindset now – regardless of their current position within your organization.

In the leadership workshops I conduct for Millennials, one of the key points I emphasize is that even an entry-level management position IS a leadership role. I also explain to them the need to understand the difference between a leadership mindset and a manager mindset from Day One of their first professional job. After all, they are judged on everything they do and say – and everything they don’t do and don’t say – from the very beginning of their career.

As their supervisor or employer, your goal should be to help your employees understand this concept; however, I know many upper managers who still struggle with it themselves, so it’s important to remember the following (which you can then pass on to your employees):

Even if you just manage one person, you are also a leader. Yes, you may be considered a “manager” on paper, but you are leading, too. And even though your current position may not be one that “sets direction for the entire company or a department,” you are still a leader. Furthermore, even if you currently don’t manage anyone, you can take on leadership roles (e.g. heading up a project, volunteering to plan a company event, etc.).

Regardless of the type of management roles your Millennials assume, cultivating a leadership mindset is critical to their success early on. Successful managers are also successful leaders, and successful leaders experience employee retention and loyalty.

I realize not every Millennial in your company wants to be a senior executive or “lead” the whole business. But to not embrace some fundamental, effective leadership qualities – which will make their employees happier and more productive – is to BE LAZY, in my opinion.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “People don’t leave companies; they leave managers.” Be sure to share that with your Millennial employees and emphasize that your goal is to help them avoid being a young leader employees choose to leave.

To further illustrate this point, consider the following key differences between a manager mindset and a leader mindset. Share these with your Millennial employees as well, as you work with them to adopt leadership into their personal management styles:

1.       Leaders seek employee commitment – Managers seek employee compliance

2.       Leaders are proactive – Managers are reactive

3.       Leaders create change – Managers maintain the status quo

4.       Leaders take risks – Managers are risk-averse

5.       Leaders are passionate – Managers are controlling

6.       Leaders create loyal followers – Managers have subordinates

7.       Leaders use personal charisma – Managers rely on bestowed authority

8.       Leaders give credit – Managers take credit

9.       Leaders understand what motivates each employee – Managers stick to a one-size-fits-all approach

Managers who choose not to embody important leadership qualities suffer – as do their employees and their companies as a whole. Shortsighted managers tend to focus on process and procedures, not people and vision, whereas leaders focus on the latter first.

Groom your Millennial employees to blend solid management skills with strong leadership qualities, and they will have a much better chance of succeeding in any role, at any level, within your organization.

If you missed the first part of this three-part series on preparing your Millennial employees for leadership, you can read about 6 Ways to Retain Your Gen Y Future Leaders now.  Soon to come: “12 Problem Solving Tips to Teach Your Gen Y Future Leaders,” ths final part of this series.

Want to win a free copy of Millennials into Leadership or Millennials Incorporated?

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LEADER AND A MANAGER?  Answer this question for the chance to win one of Lisa Orrell’s best-selling leadership books.

HOW TO ENTER: In the comments section below, simply submit a one- or two-sentence answer to this question: “What’s the difference between a leader and manager?” Ten (10) lucky winners will be drawn at random to receive a copy of one of the books of their choosing: Millennials into Leadership or Millennials Incorporated.

Update: The time period for this giveaway has expired.

Workplace bullying has been getting a lot more attention in the media lately after some high-profile bullying cases have come to light — but the issue is unfortunately not a new one. After all, the Workplace Bullying Institute has been around since the early 1900s for a reason, and many states have been in the process of trying to pass legislation against workplace bullying since 2003 (none yet with any success). But for as long as workplace bullying has been happening, it doesn’t appear to be stopping. A just-released CareerBuilder survey among 5,671 U.S. workers reveals that more than one in four (27 percent) workers have felt bullied in the workplace, with the majority neither confronting nor reporting the bully.

The most common bully? The boss.

According to survey results, 14 percent of workers felt bullied by their immediate supervisor, while 11 percent felt bullied by a co-worker.  Seven percent said the bully was not their boss but someone else higher up in the organization, while another 7 percent said the bully was their customer.

Bullying reports by gender and age

• Comparing genders and age groups, the segments that were more likely than others to report feeling bullied were women, workers ages 55 or older (29 percent), and workers age 24 or younger (29 percent).
• Women reported a higher incidence of being treated unfairly at the office.  One-third (34 percent) of women said they have felt bullied in the workplace, compared to 22 percent of men. Of course, this doesn’t mean fewer men are bullied, necessarily — just that fewer men report it. And, according to research by organizational behavior and leadership expert Denise Salin, women are more likely than men to self-label as a target of bullying.
• Workers ages 35 to 44 were the least likely to report feeling bullied, with only one in four doing so.

Bullying can come in a variety of forms, and what one of us considers crossing the line might make another cringe or blush, and a third person accept as simply “part of the job.”  When asked to describe how they were bullied, workers pointed to the following examples:

• My comments were dismissed or not acknowledged (43 percent).
• I was falsely accused of mistakes I didn’t make (40 percent).
• I was harshly criticized (38 percent).
• I was forced into doing work that really wasn’t my job (38 percent).
• Different standards and policies were used for me than other workers (37 percent).
• I was given mean looks (31 percent).
• Others gossiped about me (27 percent).
• My boss yelled at me in front of other co-workers (24 percent).
• Belittling comments were made about my work during meetings (23 percent).
• Someone else stole credit for my work (21 percent).

Since bullying comes in so many forms, it’s often difficult to define bullying by one specific action. The Workplace Bullying Institute, however, defines workplace bullying as “repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators that takes one or more of the following forms:

1. Verbal abuse.
2. Offensive conduct/behaviors that are threatening, humiliating, or intimidating.
3. Work interference, i.e. sabotage, that prevents work from being done.

Salin describes bullying in the workplace as a “form of negative interaction that can express itself in many ways, ranging from verbal aggression and excessive criticism or monitoring of work to social isolation or silent treatment.” It’s sometimes an accumulation of many minor acts, adding up to a pattern of maltreatment. The person on the receiving end of the bullying feels unable to defend him or herself successfully.

What are companies doing to combat this workplace bullying?

Twenty-eight percent of workers who were bullied brought the situation to a higher authority by reporting the bully to their Human Resources department. While 38 percent of these workers stated that measures were taken to investigate and resolve the situation, the majority of workers (62 percent) said no action was taken.

Of those who didn’t report the bully at all, one in five (21 percent) said it was because they feared the bullying would escalate. And with so few companies taking action on bullying complaints, reporting the incident may be an increasingly unattractive option to employees, because not only will they have to worry about the bullying getting worse, they will also have to fear making the culprit aware that his or her actions will not be disciplined by the company, essentially giving the person a green light to continue the bullying behavior.

Various sources from Salin’s research on workplace bullying also show that bullying seems to be prevalent in organizations that support, accept or allow such behavior, or where employees feel that they can “get away with it” or where it is accepted as part of a “tough” climate.” Even worse, new employees and managers can become socialized into treating bullying as a normal feature of working life.

The cost to your employees – and your business

Bullying is not only harmful for the employees experiencing it, but it also has a significant impact on the workplace environment as a whole. Bullying affects morale, motivation, work performance and productivity, and can also lead to higher absenteeism, health care costs and turnover — not to mention the psychological toll it takes on your employees. Some employers have realized the importance of taking steps to prevent bullying or make employees aware that they have a strict no-tolerance bullying policy, not only for the obvious reason of protecting their valued employees, but also because it’s good for business. Many employers, however, only seem to deal with the issue after it happens — if they deal with it at all.

Does your organization thrive on competition to the point of intimidation? Do you look the other way when an employee’s behavior seems to upset another employee? Or do you cultivate a culture of respect? While organizations can’t necessarily be blamed for bullying behavior, employees can certainly draw conclusions about acceptable or encouraged workplace behavior from the way they observe their organization treat its own employees and handle conflict.

By taking a soft stance on bullying, employees will view your workplace as tolerant of the practice, and will be less likely to come forward for help when they become a victim. What can you do to better protect your employees?

Six steps toward a bully-free workplace

In an article she wrote for the Scandinavian Journal of Management, Salin references many tips that various experts have found to be effective in helping to prevent or lessen the occurrence of workplace bullying.

Consider the following 6 steps:

1. Foster a supportive culture, and encourage open communication with both peers and leaders.
2. Introduce a specific, zero-tolerance anti-bullying policy to employees to increase general awareness of appropriate work behavior. The content of the document is very important; simply having one is not enough. It should cover the definition of what is regarded as bullying and what is not, as well as a statement of consequences of breaching your organization’s standards. It should also clarify who to report to, list specific contact persons and clearly explain the procedure for making and investigating informal and formal complaints.
3. Incorporate staff from all levels of your organization to help develop your policy, and increase awareness and acceptance of it throughout the organization — having a written policy is not enough. Policies are not just for the potential victim of workplace bullying, but are also helpful for managers, to give them advice and guidelines about how to deal with bullying. In turn, having a policy may make managers more willing and competent to react appropriately to a situation.
4. Include skills to identify and deal with bullying during management training; any action taken to increase leader competence in dealing with bullying is of utmost importance.
5. Spread knowledge of both the definition of workplace bullying and your organization’s policy at all levels, so that situations that could escalate into bullying can be quickly identified (and hopefully dealt with before the level of intensity increases). Increasing awareness may also encourage more employees to feel empowered to combat bullying by refusing to take part or refusing to silently watch it happen.
6. Increase the perceived cost to the perpetrator in order to deter potential bullies from taking action by making it clear that there will be serious consequences.

These are some steps your organization may choose to take to help curb bullying in the workplace — but I’d like to hear from all of you. What is your organization’s stance on workplace bullying, and what measures have you taken to prevent it? How have you dealt with bullying situations that have arisen?

It’s dangerous — and often inaccurate — to generalize generations’ workplace preferences and behaviors. Many hiring managers, however, are still clinging onto generational stereotypes, particularly of the oft much-hyped Millennial generation (those workers born between 1980 – 1995) — stereotypes that Millennials themselves have moved well beyond since first entering the workplace in the last several years.

In How the Recession Shaped Millenial and Hiring Manager Attitudes about Millenials’ Future Careers, Alexandra Levit and I examine various research initiatives to determine how the attitudes of Millennials toward their career paths have changed as a result of the economic downturn, how these attitudes compare to the way hiring managers view Millennials’ career paths, and what hiring managers can do to better understand this generation of workers. Many of our report conclusions have been drawn from The Future of Millennial Careers research study, which was commissioned by the Career Advisory Board, presented by DeVry University, and conducted by Harris Interactive among 500 Millennials age 21-31 either employed or planning to seek employment, and 523 hiring managers age 18+ who interact with Millennials at work.

While Millennials and hiring managers can generally both agree that Millennials tend to have certain commonalities, like digital comfort and impatience with certain established processes, there is also much disparity between how Millennials view themselves and how they are viewed by their bosses. This can result in a frustrating situation for both parties — but by learning to truly understand Millennials, hiring managers can create a smoother workplace environment for the multiple generations currently working within it, as well as improve one-on-one relationships with their valuable Millennial workers.

Pre-recession to the present

The oldest Millennials blazed into the workplace in the early 2000s, many of them unabashedly demanding flexibility, seamless communication and desirable assignments right away — and from this, many employers formed their opinions on Millennials right then and haven’t since wavered. However, the recession appears to have caused a shift in Millennials’ attitudes toward achieving immediate career success, as watching hiring freezes and mass layoffs occur, or being affected by them themselves, caused many Millennials to recognize that having a good job was not just a given, but instead something that must be earned. Now, as the economy is picking itself back up post-recession, Millennials have a much different idea of what they need to do to succeed, and more of them are taking the initiative to prove their worth to employers on a daily basis while honing their soft skills in the long term.

Millennials and hiring managers: Different worlds?

While the recession appears to have pushed many Millennials to form more realistic expectations about career advancement, many hiring managers don’t yet see a change in Millennials’ expectations and are still of the belief that Millennials are driven by unreasonably high pay in return for minimal effort. Many hiring managers remain very cynical of the efforts Millennials are making, and believe that this generation continues to have a sense of entitlement and unrealistic expectations of their own career growth and success.

Millennials also believe doing work that is personally meaningful to them and achieving a sense of accomplishment are just as important as earning a high salary for a successful career. In fact, 30 percent of Millennials identify meaningful work as the single most important measure of a successful career. Millennials are also feeling a need to pursue higher education, obtain transferable skills, and hold a variety of jobs in order to get ahead in their careers. Mistakenly, however, hiring managers commonly believe Millennials’ desire to earn a high salary primarily drives their job and career decisions. Forty-eight percent of hiring managers rank high pay as the number one way Millennials measure their career success. In contrast, only 11 percent of hiring managers say Millennials consider meaningful work as the number one measure of success.

Let’s take a closer look:

Disparity in Education

Millennials: Seventy-nine percent of Millennials responded that they had completed at least some college to date, and 65 percent ranked education among their top three preparation activities for getting ahead in the workplace (40 percent of all Millennial respondents ranked “getting the proper education” as the most important choice they could make to prepare for future careers).
Hiring Managers: Meanwhile, only 28 percent of hiring managers cited “getting the proper education” as the most important method for future success (though 55 percent did place it in the top three). Preferable to education was “learning transferable skills” — 62 percent of hiring managers listed this as one of the top three steps Millennials can take today to prepare for the next 15 years. Nearly two in five hiring managers (39 percent) said “setting goals with managers” should be in the top three.

Why? With the passing years, more and more young people are getting advanced degrees. Because managers used means other than getting higher degrees to get ahead in the workplace themselves, however, they may not view education as a key step for Millennials to advance their own careers. And, as managers have more work experience than Millennials, they are able to view the career path from a different perspective as far as ways to achieve workplace success.

Tips for managers: Investigate the learning opportunities available to your employees and make specific recommendations as part of each individual’s development plan. Help your employees set realistic and achievable goals for their future, and provide a path for building transferable skills in their daily roles that makes sense to both you and them.

Disparity in Millennials’ career motivations

Millennials: Millennials equate a successful career with doing meaningful work; in fact, 71 percent reported this as among the three most important factors defining career success. Nearly a third (30 percent) believed it was the most critical factor.

Hiring Managers: Only 11 percent of managers reported that meaningful work was the most important factor contributing to Millennial success, while almost one-half (48 percent) of managers said high pay was in fact the most critical factor in defining career success.

Why? Older generations grew up in a different time, when work rules were defined and enforced by the employer, and the primary purpose of work was to provide a paycheck, not to feed the well-rounded employee who increasingly struggles with work/life balance in a technology-driven world. Though pay is still important to many employees, work expectations have shifted over the years as our culture has evolved, and employees want different things from their “work life.”

Tips for managers: Match your Millennial employees with a mentor who is able to help guide their career path and offer advice along the way. In addition, be open to your workers’ proposals to create a work environment that is meaningful to them and enables them to do their best work, such as telecommuting or flexible scheduling, if they have presented clear advantages to the organization in saving time and money and effectively addressed any concerns you may have. In the long run, it may result in a situation beneficial to both your organization and your employee.

Key challenges for Millennials

Millennials are currently faced with two key challenges:

1. They must overcome the pervasive stereotypes managers have about their generation.
2. They must identify and address areas that impact their ability to work effectively in the professional world.

As older generations tend to hold opinions of Millennial employees that sharply diverge from the attitudes Millennials have about themselves, it’s important for managers to work with the various generations in their workplace to set a positive example and work to increase understanding of this generation. While research showed us that Millennials and their managers agreed that compared to older generations, Millennials are more likely to exhibit an inability to receive criticism as well as ineffective communication skills, these weaknesses must be viewed as a learning opportunity for both parties.

Moving forward, together

Millennials and their managers have come a long way in understanding one another – though there’s still a long road ahead. That road, however, is more quickly paved by each group doing their part to move forward and understand the other.

Millennials, for example, must be proactive in seeking mentorship from senior leaders, setting goals with their managers, and participating in company-sponsored training opportunities.

In addition to the tips mentioned above,  managers can also start taking steps to better understand and effectively work with Millennials:

• Give timely and constructive feedback.
  
• Keep an open mind and learn from young professionals.
  
• Teach by example to set expectations.
  
• Implement two types of training into your organization: The first, a session or course on inter-generational dynamics that provides Millennials and their managers with concrete strategies to build a better sense of community within their teams. The second, soft-skill training provided by the organization for Millennial hires that includes instruction on 1) assimilating into a new workplace culture; 2) working with team members assertively and diplomatically and how to receive and process feedback; and 3) approaching a supervisor to seek mentorship and set long-term career goals. This type of course would also help Millennials combat misperceptions about their generation and teach them strategies (like reverse mentoring) that use their digital comfort, ability to multi-task, and multiple other strengths in a positive way.

As managers become more open and tolerant, and Millennials continue to adjust their expectations and make visible and appreciated contributions to organizations, we will continue to see a wider understanding of the Millennials generation – as well as the great additions they can make to a rapidly changing work landscape.

Read the full report here for more statistics, thoughts from both Millennials and managers, and advice on managing the Millennial generation, or listen to my recent discussion with Lisa Johnson Mandell.

About The Career Advisory Board
Established in 2010 by DeVry University, the Career Advisory Board is a panel of leading career experts and authors from business and academia who provide actionable advice for job-seekers. The Career Advisory Board generates proprietary research and commentary, and creates tools, insight and resources to prepare job-seekers for success. Its members include executives from CareerBuilder, Cisco, DeVry University, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Microsoft Corporation as well as nationally recognized career experts.

Feel pressure to add social media to your recruitment mix?  Chances are you’ve been putting it off for one or all of these four reasons:

1. Lack of urgency – Existing responsibilities claim priority over new developments.
2. Impact – You can’t predict an earth-shattering ROI, so it’s difficult to sell up the chain.
3. Organizational fear – Someone forwarded the Domino’s Pizza employee video to everyone in the company without showing how they responded and are growing stronger from it.
4. Analysis paralysis – You’ve got the green light to create a social recruiting presence, but are unsure how to get started.

Sound about right?  Read on.

This scenario is common. We meet social media evangelists everyday who “totally get it” and are nearing their breaking point trying to convince those who don’t. Pushing social media uphill in an organization riddled with naysayers often involves debating countless public social media disasters to convince everyone the anticipated rewards are worth any small risks. Before you throw in the towel, try practicing these four ways to sharpen your lobbying skills:

Wise up on the big “C”
Compliance. It’s the trump card the critics will undoubtedly pull from their sleeve to discredit social media sites for recruitment.  Be ready for this objection and practice your rebuttal. There’s a difference between using social media sites to source candidates and extending your employment brand to attract candidates. In fact, Anthony Scarpino, Director of Talent Acquisition at Sodexo describes it best here.

By participating in social media to source, a recruiter uses a site like LinkedIn to seek out candidates and contact them directly or through an introduction about an opportunity. This involves targeting and evaluating attributes of the candidate profile. This type of sourcing should follow a standard process to ensure equal consideration of all candidates and is most effective when initiated from individual recruiter accounts.

Social recruiting differs because the main goal is to motivate people to join the company’s talent community, apply to jobs, attend job fairs, and experience the culture. Calls to action for candidates on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc., typically link back to a job posting tied to an OFCCP-compliant application process. Simply put, social recruiting is experiential marketing. It’s about showing people that your company is a great place to work, connecting them to peers who can affirm what you claim, and answering questions. It leaves the screening up to the trained recruiters.

Be savvy about the sites
Facebook boasts over 500 million users and eMarketer predicts the site to reach 57% of the adult U.S. internet population this year.  Despite widespread adoption, most arguments opposing social recruitment still claim that Facebook isn’t an appropriate site for career-related content. This is steadfastly false.

According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, 74% of participants were interested in seeing job opportunities posted on company social media pages. HR departments have seen as much as a 65% increase in employee referrals with Work@, a Facebook application that matches jobs to employees’ friends using career information listed in public profiles. Even more astounding, more than 54% of job seekers say they are more likely to apply to a company after becoming a fan on Facebook or following a company on Twitter. Arm yourself with these stats so you can confidently defend the need to use the largest and fastest-growing social networks on the planet to unlock passive candidate streams.

Resist the Field of Dreams whisper
Even if you’ve never seen the 1989 American sports drama, Field of Dreams, you probably recognize the often misquoted line whispered to the main character in a cornfield dramatic scene: “If you build it, He will come.” There’s a chance that no less than half of your company feels this way about creating a social media presence.

Those who make this assumption generally fear that people will bombard social media page(s) with negative comments. In their minds, there’s a virtual lynch mob just waiting to strike – rejected candidates, disgruntled employees, and former staff with hundreds of bones to pick. In this nightmare, the page goes live and a Batman signal illuminates the internet, drawing people in by the thousands to attack. Albeit a dramatization, this is an unfounded fear you must educate decision-makers about.

Without advertising, company Facebook pages only grow by an average of 35 fans within the first month. Not only are pages not blitzed by raging lunatics, they’re not graced by the avid supporters either. A campaign is essential to effectively launch a new Facebook page and should consist of Facebook advertising, integration on existing web properties, and employee support. And, if mobsters do find their way to the page, have an effective management strategy in place to respond. If criticism occurs, this CB Social whitepaper reveals that 63% of users have a better impression of a company that responds to users’ negative posts than those who do not address negativity.

Give them something to talk about
While some of us may be too young to remember Bonnie Raitt, we can all learn from her catchy tune. Without real, resonating examples of why a brand should participate in social media, the idea will remain just that – a good idea. A “When we get around to it,” item on a perpetual to-do list. Even worse, it could become a “We should’ve done that years ago,” after the opportunity has passed by.

The easiest way to get people to pay attention to social media is to show them conversations taking place that involve something that is important to them.

• For HR and recruitment, check out sites like Glassdoor,  Vault, and Jobitorial for an indication of your employment brand.
• Browse Yahoo! Answers, Ask, Yelp, and Amazon reviews for product questions, ratings and buyer reactions.
• Use sites like 48ers and Social Mention to see how much buzz exists about working at your company. Check out Openbook to search for keyword mentions of your company in Facebook status messages.
• Set up Google Alerts and advanced Twitter search feeds to learn about conversations as they unfold. Get notifications in real time by enabling the email setting on Google Alerts and using the feed option for a Twitter query to push new tweets to your RSS reader.

Share select examples from these free search sites to start conversations around what it would be like if you had a social media page to host and respond to conversations. Share the positive remarks and help alleviate the fear that nothing good can come from social recruiting. Take note of recurring topics and misconceptions – these are important messages that will shape your social media messages.

The point: Ignite the need to participate in social media work by alleviating fears and uncovering conversations that excite your biggest critics. Once the need is clear, you’ll know how to use social media to support internal initiatives and have a sense of urgency with which to act. With a clear goal, the impact on your recruitment and the organization as a whole will be much easier to measure.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: Authored by Lisa Orrell. Orrell is known globally as The Generation Relations Expert. She is the author of the top-selling books Millennials Incorporated and Millennials into Leadership. In the first of a three-part series, Orrell discusses not only how to better manage and retain your Millennial talent, but also how to groom them to be effective leaders.

Why do companies – large and small – spend so much time worrying about how to retain Millennials (a.k.a. Gen Y)?  It’s basically a matter of math.

According to the Employment Policy Foundation (EPF), our country is at the beginning of a labor shortage of approximately 35 million skilled and educated workers, which is estimated to continue over the next two decades – especially now that Baby Boomers are starting to retire at an estimated rate of 1 every 8 seconds.

Out of necessity, Millennials – many of whom may only have one to three years of career experience – are moving into management roles much sooner (and younger!) than the generations before them did – and are expected to perform in these roles successfully.

While it’s entirely possible to groom this next generation of professionals to be effective leaders, you must first be able to retain them (otherwise, grooming them for leadership won’t even matter!). For the first of this three-part series, I’d like to share six effective tips to help employers and managers effectively retain Millennial talent.

6 Ways to Retain Your Gen Y Employees:

1. Constant Contact: A recent survey of over 1,000 Millennials showed that over 60 percent of them want to hear from their managers at least once a day. That message is pretty clear: They want to communicate with you often so make it happen or they will leave! Unfortunately many older generations tend to operate differently. Oftentimes, they have a hands-off approach to management, but this style clearly does not work well with Millennials.
2. Praise Culture: We all need praise from our employers, but Millennials tend to need it more often than older generations. If they are not feeling “valued” on a regular basis, they will leave. So many well-known companies are shifting to a “praise culture” to retain them…and it improves retention of their older employees, too! Get creative and have fun with this. I know of one company that actually appointed a “celebrations assistant” in their office and one of her tasks is to throw confetti on employees (in their cubes or offices) whenever a manager tells her an employee had done something exceptional. I realize this strategy may sound a bit extreme to you, but this company is obviously seeing an ROI (or the confetti wouldn’t be happening).
3. Rapid Advancement Alternatives: Millennials feel that “paying their dues” is just occupying space for no good reason. So if a Millennial employee is truly qualified for a promotion, many companies now offer it to them versus giving the position to someone who has simply been at the company longer. But what if they’re not qualified to move up the ladder yet and getting antsy? Find creative ways to give them more responsibility, such as letting them do one or more of the following:
   1. Start, or write for, the company blog
   2. Set-up, or participate in, your company Fan Page on Facebook or other social media presence
   3. Contribute to the company e-newsletter
   4. Research and set-up a new software solution that improves productivity for your company (or department).

   You don’t always have to give them a raise or promotion to keep them happy; being creative with increased responsibility can work great! Millennials have fast minds and get bored quickly, but it’s your job as their employer to help eliminate the “boredom” factor.

4. Cubicle Shackles: Millennials have a very hard time understanding why they need to sit in a cubicle 8-10 hours a day. They want the flexibility to work anytime, from anywhere, and many companies are revamping their policies to provide more flexibility, using flex time as a “perk” to attract Millennials to their workforce. The upside? Employees from all generations respond favorably to this flexibility and employers actually find that most employees become more productive…and tend to put in longer hours!
5. Mentor Programs: This is key! Millennials have grown up with a lot of guidance from their parents, society and teachers. Now, they expect this type of handholding at work. So, heed this advice! If your company, large or small, doesn’t offer a formal (or informal) mentorship program, create one. I recently spoke with three Millennials who actually quit their jobs within one year because their employers had promised mentorship, but never delivered. Mentorship truly means that much to them.
6. Leadership Training: There is a resurgence of Leadership & Management training programs happening because the Millennials want it, need it and are demanding it. In the past year, my Millennial Business Boot Camp and Get a Grip on Leadership workshops have become, hands down, my most requested presentations – that’s how important leadership training has become. Unfortunately, MANY companies still do not offer these types of programs, much to their own detriment. It’s only a matter of time before their Millennial employees leave to pursue organizations that do offer these programs.

Finally, it’s important to remember that Millennials’ wants and needs aren’t much different from those of older generations; they just have a lower tolerance threshold than generations before them. A Boomer may put up with a job for five years even if he or she is bored or doesn’t feel valued, but a Millennial may only tolerate it for five months…or until the current job market improves.

In the next few weeks, I’ll be posting parts two and three of this series, to address tips and best practices for preparing Millennials to be successful leaders in your organization.

For more information about Lisa Orrell, visit: www.TheOrrellGroup.com.

If there’s anything more exciting than talking about tax refunds, it’s talking about data about tax refunds.

Exciting, of course, being a relative term here.

With Tax Day just a few days away, CareerBuilder released its annual survey on how workers plan to spend their tax refunds. But what’s cool(again, speaking relatively here…) about this year’s survey is that the results support growing evidence that the economy is on the upswing.

Compared to last year, fewer workers plan to use their tax refunds to pay off bills and more plan to put the money into savings, reflecting a more stable economy.

According to the survey over 3,900 workers nationwide, 46 percent plan to use their tax refunds to pay off bills, down from 56 percent last year. In addition, more than one-third (36 percent) of workers report they will use their tax refund to augment their savings accounts, up from 34 percent who said the same last year.

And while 61 percent of workers still report living paycheck to paycheck, the number is a significant improvement over the 77 percent who said the same last year.  In addition, 79 percent of workers said they haven’t reduced their 401 (k) accounts or personal savings in the last year.

While the majority of workers will use their tax refunds to put into savings or pay off bills, others plan to use their refunds toward things like making home improvements, going on vacation, buying a car, planning a wedding or donating to charity. To see the full press release, go here.

How do you plan to spend your tax refund?

While you were busy wondering why this song won’t go away already, severely testing your neighbors’ patience, or making an appointment for a mani/pedi STAT…here’s what was happening in the world of workforce management this week:

• McDonald’s supersizes its hiring efforts McDonald’s recently announced a “one-day hiring spree” on April 19, during which the corporation will offer 50,000 new jobs across its 14,000 locations nationwide. Sort of like Supermarket Sweeps, but with hiring. (CNNMoney)
• Wrap your mind around this (if you can): Lack of career development hinders women’s career development. A new study indicates the reason so few female CEOs exist is that they lack the same type of career coaching their male counterparts get. Who says gender bias still exists in the workplace? (WSJ)
• Small- and medium-sized businesses: 1; big businesses: 0 Recent data shows large businesses are much slower to hire than their smaller counterparts. WTF, big businesses? (USA TODAY)
• More companies take the “equal” out of “equal opportunity employers” The legality of companies specifying that they will only consider job applicants who are currently employed has come into question lately, as more employers jump on this bandwagon. (NPR)
• Employees don’t like pay cuts. Public workers nationwide believe the public has a false public perception that they are paid too much, and are therefore vulnerable to budget cuts targeting their pay and benefits. (MSNBC)
• City somehow surprised to find that employees don’t like pay cuts. An Ohio city’s attempt to save $54,000 backfired – in a big way – after three workers, who (shockingly) were unhappy to see their hours, pay and benefits reduced, decided to quit instead – which ended up costing the city $75,000 in severance and unused vacation time. (I think this is what they call “a teachable moment.”) (UPI)
• Facebook gives Google a run for its employees. Facebook’s recent high-profile acquisition of some of Google’s top employees underscores a trend commonly seen following times of economic change: high performers leaving companies for new opportunities. (You’ve been warned, Apple.) (Inc.com)
• It’s not what you know…it’s who your people know Finally figuring out what we already knew, more employers are finding that their best hires are coming from employee referrals these days. (NPR)

What left an impression on you this week?

As we just discussed here on The Hiring Site, the hiring outlook for this past month was the strongest it’s been in three years — which is great news. But, while in some industries employers also have plenty of candidates to choose from, in the health care field, the demand for services is rising so quickly that there aren’t enough health care workers to fulfill the growing demand. And this year alone, the first wave of more than 70 million baby boomers will turn 65 and 30 million more Americans will be will be insured, adding to the need for jobs like nurse practitioners. So, how are companies dealing with this challenge? A newly released CareerBuilder study of more than 1,000 health care workers gives us some insight into the job challenges these workers are facing, and includes advice to help organizations continue to retain top talent. You can also download the survey report in its entirety.

What did health care workers tell us?

1. A lack of career advancement opportunities is the top challenge health care workers face in their current positions.

What’s most challenging for health care workers — a) the sometimes-stressful environment? b) The lack of time for lunch breaks? c) The scrubs they must wear? No — it’s d) none of the above. In reality, more than half (51 percent) of health care workers cited a lack of advancement opportunities as the top challenge they faced in their current job. As patients are workers’ first priority, and as work overload was second in line as far as challenges cited, with 40 percent saying it was their biggest challenge, workers need management to help them make career advancement a priority as well. With so many balls for health care workers to juggle,  it’s important for health care organizations to provide career advancement programs and opportunities, to make those opportunities known, and to support workers’ efforts to take advantage of them by making it easier for them to do so.

3.    Tenure rates for nurses are low across various health care organizations.

Analysis of CareerBuilder databases revealed that registered nurses have a median tenure of 1.4 years. This is much lower than the 4.4 years that wage and salary workers had had with their current employer (according to a 2010 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study). Offices of physicians see the lowest nurse turnover, with a median job tenure of 1.57 years, while nursing care facilities have the highest ,at .97 years tenure. Falling in the middle were kidney dialysis centers (1.23) and home health care services (1.17). Operators of certain health care facilities may have a harder time retaining employees because of the difficult nature of the work.

3. Nurses are more concerned with doing their job well in a good environment than with the amount of money they make.

Nurses are the segment of the workforce hardest to recruit and retain — and with a median 1.4-year tenure, what factors are nurses struggling with, that, if resolved, might make a difference in workplace satisfaction? When nurses were asked about their biggest workplace challenge, salary was not at the top of the heap — they put salary as fifth (35 percent) on their list of biggest workplace challenges. Topping their list, though, was a shortage of needed staff (49 percent) and, as many health care workers across the board stated, a lack of advancement opportunities (49 percent). It’s not a surprise, then, to hear about nurses going on strike just last month over staff shortages.

4.    A wide disconnect exists between benefits offered by employers and what employees say their organizations provide.

In the CareerBuilder survey, health care professionals were asked if their current or most recent employer offered a number of different programs to their health care employees. Of the 10 programs listed, in-house skills training was the only program said to be offered by more than 50 percent of the survey-takers. Below are the full results:

• In-house skills training (57 percent)
• Education reimbursement (43 percent)
• Technology training (43 percent)
• Flexible work schedules (42 percent)
• Cross-training (40 percent)
• Opportunity to mentor others (37 percent)
• Autonomy in position (33 percent)
• Opportunity for innovation (24 percent)
• Performance-based incentives (22 percent)
• Sign-on bonus (8 percent)

In addition to the somewhat alarming statistic that nine of the 10 factors were said to be offered by fewer than half of the respondents’ workplaces, there also appears to be a disconnect between what employers are offering and what employees believe they offer. For instance, more than half (57 percent) of health care employees said that in-house skill trainings were offered by their employer; however, an even higher number of employers (68 percent) indicate that they provided this type of perk — meaning a lot of employees left in the dark about the trainings their employer provides. This disconnect illustrates that while health care organizations may be offering valuable perks, these programs are not always being messaged effectively to employees.

5.    Patient to staff ratio is strained, leaving workers spread thin with little time for career development.

We’ve heard before about health care workers’ desire to be heard — and survey data supports that idea. However, because workers are so tied down in managing their daily duties, there’s often little to no time left to focus on professional development. Nearly six in ten (57 percent) of health care workers said that the health care professional-per-patient ratio is getting worse, allowing less time for professional development and career advancement and requiring more time on day-to-day duties.

How can employers better support their employees?

It’s clear that money is not the only thing on health care workers’ minds — just like workers in many other professions, they seek opportunities for advancement in their careers, professional recognition, and benefits. They also need both the support of management and a robust enough staff to make this more easily attainable.

Although salary and benefits are important, lower-cost factors such as mentoring, career-path planning, training and support also greatly influence health care employees to apply to and stay at a job. With health care organizations battling for top talent and facing high demand for positions, it’s important for employers to take the temperature of their staff to best meet their needs, as well as keep a finger on the pulse of job seekers.

There’s no overnight solution, but it’s important to develop and nurture an environment where your employees can thrive. Talk to your employees about their biggest needs and challenges, and create a plan to help them more effectively meet these challenges. Find ways to communicate to your employees about the career advancement, training  and benefits programs your organization offers, and find ways to make it easier for them to participate. And if your organization doesn’t offer these initiatives, keep in mind you’re likely missing out on a lot of talent willing to sign on with organizations that are. Giving your employees ways to continue to learn and advance in their careers will give you a distinct advantage over your competition, and your employees will have another reason to grow with your organization, rather than look for the nearest exit.

What do you see as a solution toward fixing the turnover issues that ail so many health care organizations?

If you’ll recall, we recently took our first foray into the exciting world of Twitter chats. Our goal with these chats is to facilitate open conversations between hiring managers, recruiters and job seekers and enable career experts to share their advice and expereince with those looking to make a good impression.

In our most recent chat, we focused on the application process. From the cover letter to the follow-up, we invited job seekers, recruiters and hiring managers to give their $0.02.

We received more great advice than we can possibly post here. (Thanks! Seriously, we’re so appreciative of all the participants.) For those of you who missed out, we’ve put together a brief recap of the questions we asked and a sample of the helpful input we received.

Q1: Cover letters…Do you always need one? And do you always include one?

• Always include one. Even when attaching “resume.” Just puts emphasis on how awesome I am. – @AshShute

• Yes, cover letters are necessary. Since most candidates don’t include one, you are differentiating yourself right away. – @TheJobQuest

• I hope that they show the hiring manager that I’ve taken the time to explain why I think I would be a good fit @JohnKirsopp

• Cover letter? I’d say it’s a definite plus. That objective line in your resume is not going to do all the heavy lifting for you. @BlairAtVolt

Q2: Job seekers often ask “What info should I include in a cover letter? How long should it be?” Is there a right answer?

• Include: Your 1st experience w/ the company, why they impress you, & how you’d be a good fit. @tjohnsoniii

• I say the [cover letter] should be no longer than 1 page. It’s like writing a good essay. Effective doesn’t and shouldn’t equal lengthy! @srlaugtug

• If you’re going to use a cover letter take the time to personalize it for each job you submit it for – use it to tell YOUR story! @thegirlinhr

• Yup. It’s a commercial, not a documentary. RT @JohnKirsopp: No longer than 1 page, you don’t want to bore the reader @SuzanneWillett

Q3: Job seekers say, “I’ve applied (and applied and applied) and I never hear back. What gives?”

• Waiting is hard. So is being patient. If you reach out 3 times and no response, then it’s time to move on @CornOnTheJob

• Apply to jobs where you meet 80% of the qualifications. That should improve response rate. @WaySolutions

• Traditional black holes still exist, follow up w phone call after a few days or w/1 week since recruiters get inundated w/resumes @Azn_CyberSleuth

• 500+ other people applying too – it’s time consuming for the [hiring manager] to respond to everyone. Either that or your resume isn’t good @GreatResume

Q4: When job seekers don’t hear back — esp. after an interview — should they follow-up? How and when do you do it?

• I ask, do you want to work for comp that takes forever to get back to you? Do they value U as employee if they don’t answer? – @AshShute

• I send handwritten [thank-you] note. F/u email if I haven’t heard a week later. Nothing from those two? I move on. @SuzanneWillett

• Follow up HOW they contacted you the very first time. If they emailed you, then email. If they called, then call. @CornOnTheJob

• AGREED! Handwritten notes make a huge impression unless they doubt your technology skills, then email. @WaySolutions

Q5: How should you approach an out-of-state job search? Should you prove your willingness/plan to relocate?

• If you have a connection to the area, make sure it stands out. If went to college nearby, move “Education” to Pg 1 of resume @CatRey

• “I’m interested in relocating to this area” says I want you to move me “I’m relocating to this area” says you are here & available @tombolt

• Use a friend’s local address as recruiters search via zip code. Explain l8r RT @AshShute: Don’t include address. Just cell phone. @WaySolutions

• Don’t go way overboard proving willingness to relocate. Can come off as desperate. @TheJobQuest

All that wisdom in one hour and 140-character messages. Impressive. Thanks again to all who participated and to those who were just watching and soaking in the information.

We’ll be holding these chats on the first Monday  night of every month at 7 p.m. Central. We’ll post reminders and details for upcoming chats on our Facebook and Twitter accounts, so make sure you’re following us! Also, drop us a line on Twitter using the #cbjobchat hashtag (or in the comments below) to let us know what topics you want us to address in upcoming chats or to add your voice to the conversation.

Last month, Jim Welch brought his 25 years of management and leadership expertise to CareerBuilder, hosting a special webinar, Real World Employment Branding: A Blueprint for Success. Welch discussed his experience as Chief Marketing Offier of Hallmark, where he played a leading role in the creation and implementation of the company’s successful employment brand strategy. Below are some of the major takeaways.

“What I’ve Learned…” Employment Branding Lessons from Industry Expert Jim Welch

1. Size doesn’t matter. “You can implement a successful employment brand strategy, regardless of your size and also regardless of your budget,” Welch emphasizes from the start. To cap his point, he later offers the following tips to help you develop your employment brand:
   • Ask your employees first.  Employee surveys are critical for understanding your employment brand as other see it (i.e., as it truly is). Asking questions like, “What single thing do you value most about your company?” and “Would you recommend our company to your friends as a place to work? Why or why not?” will help you find your organization’s critical points of difference.
   • Create multiple messages for multiple audiences.  The wants and needs of Gen Y workers and Gen X workers differ; therefore, so should your employment branding messages.
   • Be a storyteller. “Great employment brands have great stories,” says Welch. Find a way to tell a story about your brand. Gather employee testimonials to post on your careers site and social media pages, for example.  Find way out to spread your brand message that is personal and emphasizes that emotional connection (see #2 below).
   • Celebrate your brand with your employees. Some ways to do this include hosting employee workshops, during which employees can share stories that they believe represent your company’s employment brand; or hosting  a ‘brand week’ with activities that emphasize your organization’s culture and values. In fact…
   • Have a year-round calendar of employment branding events and touch points. “Think of it as a marketing calendar you use for clients and customers – but toward both current and employees,” says Welch. Not only will it ensure employment branding remains a priority, it will also help you identify any employment branding gaps. 
2. Emotions trump logic. “We need to move from a transactional decision to an emotional decision,” says Welch, pointing out that some of life’s biggest decisions – including whether to join or leave a company, are emotion-based decisions.  Employers need to appeal to that emotional connection in employees. “We don’t just need every brain in the game, we need every brain and heart in the game.”
3. Your employees are your customers. “Employment branding is really about your total employment experience. It’s also your reputation as an employer.” For many employers, thinking about their employment brand means adopting different mindset – that of employee as customer. Employee loyalty is just as crucial to nurture as customer loyalty.
4. Your employment brand is your company brand. Your employment brand doesn’t just help you retain and attract employees, but customers and clients as well: “Your employment brand makes you more attractive to as a strategic partner to other companies, because it creates an environment of innovation and growth – an environment that people want to be a part of.  It also impacts customer or client loyalty.” As the face of your organization, your employees – and how they feel about you as an employer – influence how customers and clients feel about your organization as well.

 “Employment branding is easy to put off, but there’s a window now to position yourself to come out ahead in the economy,” Welch says at one point during his presentation. With the down economy where it is – and the job market on its way to recovery – it no longer makes sense to say, “People are just happy to have a job right now.” The best people are always the ones to leave first after a recession, so the time is now to focus on your employment brand, and position your organization to come out ahead as the economy recovers.

Want to know more? Check out my earlier interview with Jim Welch, or feel free to download the complete employment branding webinar.

Shane Creamer and Simon Parkin of Granite Consulting, a recruitment consulting firm based in Canada, spoke at February’s HRPA 2011 conference, Canada’s conference and trade show focusing on HR issues and trends, about 10 recruitment trends businesses can expect as 2011 progresses. So, what, according to Creamer and Parkin, will many businesses, particularly in the U.S. and Canada, see more of as this year continues?

Labor Market Trends

Creamer and Parkin started by sharing their observations on labor market trends in Canada. Canada currently has a 7.8 percent unemployment rate, and they discussed the effects of an aging population on a constantly changing workplace (something U.S. businesses can identify with as well); over 50 percent of the Canadian workforce is 40 years old.

We know companies are hiring again; as Creamer and Parkin put it, “the ice is coming off the market” and the economy has gained back jobs lost in the recession. As we’ve discussed here on The Hiring Site, employee morale should not be a trend, and the recession has made many candidates and workers less loyal and trusting of employers. Many employees, Creamer and Parkin said, are continuing to feel uncomfortable with their current employers, but aren’t willing to trust any new organizations recruiting them.

Among other things, companies will have to focus more on the retention of their own talent (as highlighted in the latest hiring forecast, many workers are already looking for greener pastures), and there will be a shift away from traditional career paths and work values as the generational differences in the workplace become more pronounced.

So, what else is ahead for 2011?

Top 10 Recruitment Trends of 2011

#10   Talent becomes more mobile in a stronger economy:
“More mobile” doesn’t equate to more workers using smartphones to look for jobs (though indeed more are) — no, it means more of your employees will be moving to other companies. As more new positions are created this year, companies will experience higher turnover (as mentioned above) and will have to recruit to backfill that lost talent. We will see more candidates countering or turning down offers as the competition for talent continues to heat up. It’s important for employers to remember that, in or out of a recession, top talent will always have job options.

Companies don’t necessarily have the luxury of time as they might think they do; candidates (or even their own employees) are out there talking to other companies all the time. Are you keeping the retaining and recruiting of your talent top of mind?

#9 Recruitment In-sourcing vs. RPO:
This trend is toward selective, not full, recruitment process outsourcing. We will see outsourcing occur more often in the recruitment of high-volume, repetitive roles, and for the function of candidate sourcing only. There will be more RPO growth in the U.S. than Canada; more Canadian markets are focused on building internally. More executive recruitment functions are moving in-house, which is reflective of a growing transparency in the market. Increasingly, candidates can go online and see for themselves who holds which recruiting or leadership positions at a company,for example, rather than being forced to stay in the dark or play the guessing game to get in contact with the correct person.

#8  Gen Y Recruitment:
Gen Y recruitment is nothing new — but it’s evolving. You’ve likely read at least a handful of blog posts or articles lamenting the impact of Gen Y on the workplace or pigeonholing members of Gen Y into a defined set of characteristics. And this knee-jerk reaction isn’t terribly surprising, as employers are simply struggling to figure out how to make so many contrasting generations work harmoniously together in the workplace. But as Creamer and Parkin point out, it’s not fair to restrict this generation of workers into the whole “this is what Gen Y’s about” bucket. Just like members of other generations generally have some commonalities based on the society and culture they’re grown up with, you can’t necessarily throw them all into a bucket with a clear label. It’s important that employers remember people in Gen Y are not all the same, either.

So what general observations can be made about Gen Y workers?

• Gen Y members were raised in a technologically sophisticated and stimulating environment and they’re generally accustomed to instant gratification.
• Gen Y workers likely bring distinct values and expectations of what relationships with employers, managers and the workplace should be like.
• These workers face rising tuition costs and escalating personal debt.
• Nearly a third of Gen Y members have a blog, and they share intimately with their online networks.

Speaking of blogging, the job search experience has become increasingly social, and it’s not uncommon for candidates to blog about their experiences with a company during the interview process. The thoughts on a company, positive or negative, once online, can be extremely powerful. Companies must be aware that individuals have the opportunity to broadcast their experiences to a very wide audience, and that that message has the ability to spread very quickly. Negative company sentiment can spread very rapidly, but the impact can be very long-term. Tread carefully and

Recruit Gen Y candidates by using the right key messages and proper mediums:

• A company can no longer tell candidates “work hard and the rewards will come” – Gen Y wants a more definitive timetable tied directly to specific rewards.
• The traditional corporate recruitment promise of a long-term career isn’t as much of a selling point to this age group, so focus on the growth opportunities you can offer them.
• This generation tends to be largely peer influenced. Have current Gen Y employees out there on the front lines of your recruitment efforts, leading the information and interview sessions with your candidates.

Employers are smart to learn more about Gen Y, but to keep an open mind about what they find. Gen Yers bring a lot to the table; learn how to view their differences as strengths for your business — and don’t assume that one experience with a candidate or employee is indicative of the behavior of an entire generation and let it dictate your recruitment process.

#7 Talent Management:
Twenty-five percent of new hires regret taking their new job within first year, according to a study by Deloitte. There is a larger focus on talent management as we move through 2011, as well as on internal talent movement. Many companies are focusing on building talent versus buying talent, and talent retention is also of course top of mind for many employers.

#6 – Growth of Contingent Labor in Canada:
In 2010, more than 1 million Canadians held contract roles for an organization. Now, one in every eight positions in Canada are contract or temporary. Canadian organizations are beginning to build an effective talent strategy around contract labor.

#5 – Talent Pipelining:
We’ve spoken at length about the importance of building a talent pipeline (and here and here), as it helps employers get more return out of their recruitment efforts using the fewest resources, build a stronger employment brand, and create better relationships with candidates. As Parkin and Creamer stressed during their presentation, talent pipelining needs to be built into the recruitment process for key roles, as the push of relevant content and information to “nurtured” candidates helps build a company’s employment brand and increase passive candidates’ engagement and trust. The emergence of candidate sourcing/research teams is also an increasing trend.

Creamer and Parkin add that many companies are also looking beyond the typical ATS to customer relationship management platforms (CRMs).

#4 – The Globalization of Recruitment:
I recently wrote about global HR trends for 2011, and as Creamer and Parkin discussed during their presentation, recruitment no longer has a solely local focus. Companies are looking internationally for new talent pools and hard-to-find skill sets. With this change comes adjustments to vastly different cultures and multiple languages — something that many companies are still sorting out. In a nutshell, recruitment is getting much more complicated and specialized.

#3 – Candidate-Centric Recruitment Process:
It’s no secret that many candidates are dissatisfied with the current hiring process offered by companies. As Creamer and Parkin joke, it’s as if employers are sending the message, Dear Mr./Mrs. Candidate. Thank you for taking two hours out of your busy life to apply to us online. Your resume has been sent to a virtual black hole, and no one from our company will ever verify that you actually exist. Expect never to hear from us.

As we’ve stressed in the past, treat candidates like you would a client or customer — in a very real sense, they are your customer (and down the line, they may in fact be in a position to do business with you). They also have a large network of friends and colleagues who will likely hear about their experience with your organization. And while you may have to let them down, letting them down is better than not responding to candidates at all.

A poor or lengthy recruiting process can really hurt your organization’s chances of bringing the best talent onto your team. Just as candidates must sell themselves to you, you must sell your company to candidates. What’s your employment value proposition; how are you attracting, engaging, and retaining quality talent?

Begin to create a more candidate-centric recruitment process by adding more of a “human touch” to your process. Communicate with candidates when at all possible, and let them know where they stand as the process moves from phase to phase. Unplug cumbersome technology and flawed screening filters, and provide feedback and coaching. View all candidates as a customer or potential future customer, client or employee.

#2: Social Media for Recruitment:
Social media: It can be really overwhelming. Most of us are familiar with the major social media platforms — and they are playing an increasing role in recruitment as companies realize they must diversify their recruitment efforts to stay on top. Mobile technology is emerging as a recruitment channel, as companies are also realizing the power of texting and mobile apps for recruitment. Even location-based social networking sites like Foursquare have growing possibilities for businesses and recruitment. Tablets like the iPad are also becoming more popular for work use as these devices increase the business applications offered, and companies are beginning to examine the power of tablet applications to help strengthen their employment brand and company profile.

Video interviewing is a trend that more and more businesses (and candidates) are starting to pick up on, and platforms like Skype, the largest network on the Internet, are also becoming more popular for use in interviews or for virtual meetings.

As Creamer and Parkin remind us, social media is just another factor in your recruitment success — it’s not the be-all, end-all answer. Using these mediums can be powerful — but the content you put out and the messages you are sending to candidates and employees must be relevant.

#1 — The Demand for Experienced Recruiters:
Recruiters today are being asked to do more with less, making it increasingly difficult for them to be successful. The demand for experienced recruiters is high — and the recruiter of yesterday has changed to reflect a demand for those who have an in-depth knowledge of the company for which they’re recruiting. “Generalist” has morphed into “Specialist,” “Administrator/Processor” into “Trusted Advisor/Consultant,” and “Gut Feeling” decisions to “Results/Metrics-Driven” ones. Successful recruiters are getting closer to the business and doing a lot of leg work to get results.

Let us know — What recruitment trends listed here are you seeing in your own business?

In the following excerpt from CareerBuilder’s recent interview with Surya Kant, President, North America of Tata Consultancy Services, Kant discusses, among other things, the five daily goals that keep his organization going and why “Maitree” holds special meaning to his people and his business.

WHAT IS YOU PHILOSOPHY AS IT RELATES TO PEOPLE? People are our assets. When they walk out of the door every night, whether they return or not depends on how much of a sense of belonging they feel with the company.  So they are very important — our business is people and people are our business.

HOW DO YOU ENGAGE WITH AND RELATE TO YOUR EMPLOYEES TODAY? A mechanism that I want to highlight is what we call “Maitree,” which means friendship and is a program that engages the families of our employees. Activities include celebrations of holidays, recognition of tenure anniversaries and participation in community activities. Community-related activities are very important for TCS because I believe that a business that supports its community receives support in return — and it is very important that we maintain these relationships. Not many people know that as we are part of the Tata Group, 50 percent of TCS’s profits go into Tata Group charitable trusts. In the U.S. we work with a number of charitable organizations including the Walk for Hope, United Way and March of Dimes.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CULTURE OF TCS? The culture of TCS is not based on hierarchy; it is more metrics-driven. And a metrics-driven culture means that people come to collaborate. We also take the word “company” very seriously. To us, it means that people come together for a single goal, which defines our culture. We have five main values in the company that are very important for us, and we always keep them in front of us: Leading change; Integrity; Respect for individual; Learning; and Excellence. Those five values guide our day-to-day working which helps us get to the next level.

WHICH LESSONS FORMED YOUR CURRENT LEADERSHIP STYLE AND PHILOSOPHY? Our leadership philosophy is very simple, and that comes from the philosophy of the company: People are our assets. I can only be successful if my people are successful, and my job is to provide all necessary means to make them successful. We do a number of things toward that: We get feedback through employee satisfaction surveys, town hall meetings and by simply talking to employees. I see my position and the way I operate the business more like a conductor in a symphony. You have to ensure people who are individually playing their instruments can play them well, but they also must be aligned toward a bigger goal — in which case you get your symphony.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE WITHIN THE OVERALL TALENT STRATEGY OF THE ORGANIZATION? Since we are a people-centric organization, talent is extremely important to us. We are a consulting organization and have to be ahead of our customers in order for them to do business with us. We have to first attract the best talent, then nurture that talent throughout their time with us. Nurturing talent really means that you challenge them and provide an intellectually stimulating environment. If you are a tennis player, you like to play tennis with people who are as good as you or better than you, right? If you bring in the best people, you will find that excellence begets excellence. Excellent employees will talk about their experience and the environment they work in, which will help you recruit future employees. When we started hiring from college campuses in North America, the most important decision we made was to ensure that the highest level of excellence was upheld. When we went into the top institutions, we defined our criteria from particular disciplines and the highest GPAs. By following that, we have been getting better and better recruits every year. If you talk to TCS’s employees and they see the culture of excellence continuing, we are headed in the right direction.

CAN YOU PINPOINT ONE THING THAT HAS HELPED SHAPE YOU  INTO THE LEADER YOU ARE TODAY? I would say various things have contributed to that. It started with my professors in school, and as I worked to establish myself in the workplace, my seniors and the leaders of the company helped shape how I lead every day. In terms of information technology, they are really the pioneers that drive this company. I have been fortunate to live in many parts of the world and widen my horizons by receiving various sources of education while traveling. Traveling enables you to take in various perspectives and points of view, and at the end of the day, it allows you to make much better decisions.

ANY OTHER ADVICE, FROM A TALENT PERSPECTIVE, THAT YOU WOULD SHARE WITH OTHER EXECUTIVES? I think the number one piece of advice is to hire the best people. At the same time, you need to take good care of your employees. I believe the achievements that anybody enjoys are because the people around them contribute to that success. I look at our people and see how we are helping them grow, and I’m making sure they are also getting opportunities to express their skills, qualities and potential to position themselves as future leaders in the organization.

ABOUT SURYA KANT: Surya Kant, or “Sury” as he is popularly known, is president of North American operations for TCS, where he is responsible for overseeing and strengthening customer relationships and revenues in the U.S. and Canada. Sury has been with TCS for more than 30 years and has made significant contributions to the growth of both the company and the software industry as a whole. Through 2006, he served as head of customer delivery in New Delhi. Prior to this, he served as head of TCS’ operations in Japan and the United Kingdom, respectively. Sury started the company’s operations in Tokyo, Japan in 1987, and in the early nineties ran the TCS operations in the U.K. Sury received his Bachelor of Electrical Engineering with a specialization in Electronics from the Delhi College of Engineering and his Master of Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi.

ABOUT TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES: Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, business solutions and outsourcing organization that delivers real results to global businesses, ensuring a level of
certainty no other firm can match. TCS offers a consulting-led, integrated portfolio of IT and IT-enabled services delivered through its unique Global Network Delivery Model™ (GNDM™), recognized as the benchmark of excellence in software development. A part of the Tata group, India’s largest industrial conglomerate, TCS has over 186,500 of the world’s best-trained IT consultants in 42 countries. For more information, visit www.tcs.com.

My loss in this week’s office pool – betting how many jobs the economy would add in March – was a bittersweet one. Sure, I’d had plans to spend those cool winnings on a fine bottle of Charles Shaw or two, but seeing job growth exceed the expectations made conceding defeat that much less painful.  

Showing that the economy added a total 216,000 jobs in March, today’s Employment Situation Report provided more evidence of a strengthening economy. Furthermore, February and March marked the strongest two months of hiring since before the recession began. If this trend continues, we could soon reach that coveted 300,000 mark – the number by which jobs need to increase each month to significantly bring down the unemployment rate.  

Below are some highlights from the report:

• Total employment grew by 216,000 jobs in March. (Since February 2010, total payroll employment has grown by 1.5 million.)
• Private sector jobs grew by 230,000 in March, marking 13 consecutive months of private employment growth, while local government lost 15,000 jobs, and hiring was flat for state government.
• The unemployment rate fell to a two-year low of 8.8 percent. In the past four months, the unemployment rate has fallen a full percentage point, which is the sharpest drop since 1983. (And according to The White House’s Council of Economic Advisors, the drop is due to “increased employment, rather than people leaving the labor force.”)
• Both the average workweek and average hourly earnings for all employees were unchanged since February, at 34.3 hours and $22.87, respectively.
• The number of unemployed people dipped to 13.5 million in March, still almost double since before the recession began in December 2007.
• The BLS revised previous months’ non-farm payroll numbers to reflect an added 68,000 jobs (as opposed to 63,000) in January and 194,000 (up from 192,000) in February.

And just in case you need evidence that March’s overall healthy employment report is no April Fools’ Day joke, notice that it comes just a day after CareerBuilder and USA TODAY’s most recent job forecast showed the highest projected growth in three years.

Thoughts? Leave them in the comments section below!

CareerBuilder recently sat down with Tom Daley, President of Volt Workforce Solutions, to discuss his leadership philosophy. In the following excerpt, Daley shares the lessons he’s learned in 30 years at Volt, including why empowerment is essential and the most important decision he’s ever made.

What is your philosophy as it relates to people and their impact on your daily business?
Being in the recruitment service industry gives us the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of people each and every day.  After 30 years with Volt, I have come to realize that you can never minimize the value and importance of providing a job or career for a person.  It impacts the individual, their family and their future. My philosophy has always been to respect people and their abilities. I expect this philosophy to exist at all levels of our company. In our industry, a recruiter doesn’t just use computers and job boards to place people. People place people. We may get the same job description from three different clients, but it’s our recruiters who recognize the importance of making a culture match as well as a skills match.  Their ability to respect each candidate and yet make accurate candidate placements with our clients has the biggest impact on our daily business.

Has your philosophy evolved over time? How do you share this philosophy with clients when you consult with them on their own talent acquisition needs?
My belief in treating people with respect, both up and down the organization, hasn’t changed. The same holds true for clients. My approach has always been to be objective and level-headed and respect the issues that each client faces. What confirmed this approach for me is Volt’s implementation of Six Sigma methodologies eight years ago. Six Sigma has enabled us to formalize our actions and processes with our clients. So by this I mean, we always knew the importance of listening to the voice of the customer and giving them what they value, but with Six Sigma every decision we make on a client’s behalf is information-based. This allows us to quickly make decisions and improvements based on the best available data, and this gives us the ability to measure and demonstrate results. This Six Sigma approach is shared at every level of interaction with our clients and our internal customers.

How do you engage with and relate to your employees? Do you have additional programs to engage your candidates and contractors?
As I’m traveling for client meetings, I also make it a point to visit the employees in our local branch offices. We’ll have informal brown bag lunch sessions where I can get to know all of our employees. I make sure they have the opportunity to ask me any questions they might have. Volt is an entrepreneurial-based business where we put a great deal of energy into reaching out to candidates in our local communities. I’m especially proud of our efforts to engage our military veterans through our Volt Military Heroes Program.

What are the most important leadership lessons you’ve learned?
After more than 30 years of leading people at Volt, what stands out for me is the importance of empowerment. As simple as that sounds, I want to make sure that each person is empowered to provide their own ideas, which are essential to the future of our organization  I have also learned that “business is business.”  When you are dealing with people, you are dealing with emotions.  In business, objective business decisions are almost always the best decision.

How do you define VOLT’s culture? As a leader what role do you play and what is your impact on the culture?
Given that Volt was started more than 60 years ago by two brothers, William and Jerome Shaw, I’d say Volt’s culture embraces innovation while maintaining a strong sense of history and family. We have an incredible blend of people at Volt, some have been with the company many years as well as new talent from many different industries, and each of us is genuinely committed to creating the future of our company. Everyone is part of a team regardless of title and everyone makes a difference as part of that team. I see my role as leading by example. I truly believe that “it’s not just what we say, it’s what we do” that defines my actions as a leader.

VOLT has a reputation for great leaders with a long tenure at the company.  How does your unique culture foster retention?
For me, two of the most gratifying aspects of working for Volt are helping people realize that the recruitment profession may be the career path for them, and second is our entrepreneurial spirit. When people are passionate about their careers and are empowered to take actions that will make a difference, they look forward to coming to work each and every day. It’s this kind of attitude and culture that fosters our employee longevity.

How do you make your overall talent strategy a priority internally, and what role do you play in driving it?
At Volt, our overall talent strategy is simple: hire…train…retain.

Anyone who has been hired at Volt knows how extensive our hiring process is, with our key executives involved in every hire. One of the things we look for in our employees is passion. We know we can teach people about the industry, but we can’t teach passion. Finding people who are passionate about the business of recruitment and who appreciate how life-changing a job can be is the heart of our business. Once they’re hired, our employees get the best training available in our industry. Because of our Six Sigma culture, employees are encouraged and mentored to participate in belt training programs. Nearly 40% of our in-house employees have completed Six Sigma training. This training not only increases their skills and value in project management and analytical methods, but it changes the way they think and act. Providing these opportunities contributes to the high levels of commitment and retention among our people.

Our talent strategy has a top-down approach. In my role as Executive Champion for Six Sigma, I’m responsible for defining the direction for our talent strategy, setting priorities, and approving the projects we undertake. I also play an active role in all project report-outs.

What do you do to rally the team and reinforce your employment brand?
I’ve surrounded myself with strong leaders who are empowered to drive decisions down to the appropriate level within the company. Almost every person in our organization is given KPIs so they can track where they should be and how they can continuously improve. Our brand is reinforced through our commitment to hiring the highest quality talent and through every satisfied client.

What would you consider the most important decision you ever had to make as a leader?
The difficult economic climate of the past three years had a tremendous impact on the staffing industry and Volt. To create a path forward through the recession, meant making broad changes in our company, from our organizational structure to our geographic footprint and client opportunities. The decisions I had to make in terms of personnel and office consolidations were the most difficult I’ve made as a leader, but I believe ultimately laid the groundwork for a stronger future for this company.

I consider the decision to implement Six Sigma in 2002 as among the most important decisions I’ve made. This allowed Volt to make a tremendous shift in our direction, our culture, and to truly differentiate Volt from the rest of our industry.

Can you give me one or two examples of how one person had a major impact at VOLT?
Volt’s co-founder, Jerry Shaw, has had the greatest impact on Volt and on my career. For more than 30 years that I’ve worked with Jerry, he is always approachable, down-to-earth and absolutely committed to the success of Volt.  He leads by example and no one has more passion or works harder than he does. At 84, he still travels more than 90 miles one way to come to work at Volt and is in the office by 8:00 AM every day. Jerry’s work ethic and his common-sense perspective on the business continue to be an inspiration to all of us!

What other advice would you share with your executive peers though this piece?
Hire the right people…empower them…and get out of the way.

ABOUT TOM DALEY: As president of Volt Workforce Solutions, Tom Daley is responsible for Volt’s global talent acquisition operations through a network of locations in North America, Europe and Southeast Asia. During three decades at Volt, starting in 1980, Tom has been instrumental in driving the company’s growth to one of the world’s largest staffing organizations. In 2001, he was named as an executive officer of Volt. Tom is very active in national staffing and has served as a member of the board of directors of the American Staffing Association since 2002. He was elected an officer of the ASA board in 2010.

ABOUT VOLT: Volt is a global provider of talent, technology and consulting solutions. Founded in 1950, Volt services industries worldwide including aerospace, automotive, banking & finance, consumer electronics, information technology, insurance, life sciences, manufacturing, media & entertainment, pharmaceutical, software, telecommunications, transportation and utilities. Volt operates a network of locations throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia.

Looks like someone’s been taking her Boniva! (Or whatever its employment industry equivalent is, at least…)

According to CareerBuilder and USA TODAY’s latest job forecast, the employment outlook is starting to feel like its younger, more vibrant self again.

Nearly three-in-ten employers (28 percent) reported they hired full-time, permanent employees in the first quarter of 2011, the highest since the first quarter of 2008, according to the survey of nearly 2,800 hiring managers nationwide. The same amount expect to add full-time positions in the second quarter as well.

The findings come as little surprise to CareerBuilder’s CEO, Matt Ferguson, who says in a press release that job listings on CareerBuilder.com have increased across all categeories – from healthcare and technology to manufacturing. “While employers are keeping a close eye on world events, their confidence levels in regard to recruitment have remained intact,” Ferguson said. “The survey points to continued, measured gains over the next three months.  As the nation moves toward greater financial stability, more employers are investing in talent for the long-term.”

So what’s in store for the job market in the coming months – and how does it compare to previous months? Check out the highlights from the latest survey, including insight into what concerns both employers and job seekers right now. (You can also go here to download the complete forecast.)

• Added Headcount Exceeds Expectations in Q1 2011: For the seventh consecutive quarter, hiring has exceeded expectations. When asked back in December, 23 percent of employers said they expected to hire full-time, permanent employees in the first quarter of 2011. As for March, however, the number of employers that actually added headcount reached 28 percent.  And while 10 percent of employers decreased headcount in the first quarter 2011, the number is still an improvement from 12 percent who did so last year.
• Employers Expect to Maintain Momentum in Q2 2011: As for second quarter expectations, 28 percent of employers said they plan to increase their full-time, permanent headcount (but if current survey trends persist, that number could very well be higher in three months).  The number already exceeds the 24 percent of employers who increased headcount during this time last year.
• Competition for Highly Skilled Talent Increases: Concerned about losing high performers as the economy improves? You should be. Nearly a third of of the 5,600 workers surveyed said they are likely to start looking for another job as the economy improves.  Some have already made good on their word, too, with 14 percent of employers saying they already lost some of the best employees this last quarter.
• Temporary Hiring Will Slow Ever So Slightly: At 29 percent, the number of employers who added temporary staff is nearly the same as those who added permanent employees. Slightly fewer employers (26 percent), however, plan to do the same this quarter, and 17 percent plan to take some of their contract or temporary employees on full-time in the second quarter.
• The Best Hiring in the West: Looking at regions, hiring in the West is strongest, with 33 percent of hiring managers in this area expecting to increase full-time, permanent headcount. They’re followed by 28 percent who say the same in the Northeast, 27 percent in the Midwest and 24 percent in the South.
• Hiring Shows Improvement Across Businesses of All Sizes: Hiring among small businesses – the major driver behind new job creation in the U.S. – is showing signs of improvement.  Increasing by 4 percent from last quarter, 23 percent of companies with 500 or fewer employees plan to recruit full-time, permanent employees in the second quarter; and 17 percent of companies with 50 or fewer employees said the same, (up from 14 percent last quarter). Hiring in larger organizations is also trending positive, with 36 percent of companies with more than 500 employees planning to add full-time, permanent staff in the second quarter, up from 30 percent last quarter.
• Downsizing Will Go Down a Size (or Two): The survey also indicates that the number of employers planning to reduce staff levels decreased by 2 percent across the board: Among companies with 500 or fewer employees fewer employers, only 5 percent say they plan to decrease full-time, permanent staff.  Four percent of employers with 50 or fewer employees and 7 percent of companies with more than 500 employees said the same.
• Salary Levels to Stay Relatively Level: In disappointing news for workers, nearly 40 percent of employers do not plan to increase salary levels, and 38 percent plan an increase of only 3 percent or less. Fifteen percent expect their average changes will be between 4 and 10 percent and 2 percent predict an increase of 11 percent or more.  Another 3 percent say they will decrease salaries.

Do any of these findings surprise you? Where does your company fall among those surveyed?

Even though it meant missing what was surely another riveting “celebrity” performance on Dancing With The Stars, participating in CareerBuilder’s first ever Twitter chat for job seekers and recruiters was more than worth it. (No offense, Ralph Macchio.)

Using the hashtag #cbjobchat, anyone on Twitter was invited to follow and particpate in the chat led by @CareerBuilder.  To begin the discussion, @CareerBuilder posed five different questions on the subject of résumés (last night’s theme) to job seekers and recruiters, and then let everybody offer their own advice and thoughts.

If you joined last night’s chat, thanks again for participating.  We’re really excited by the turnout and the great conversations that came out of it. We’re hoping both job seekers and recruiters will benefit from these chats – and use them as a way to exchange advice and gain a better understanding of the other side’s perspective.

We’ll have the transcript of last night’s #cbjobchat posted soon, but here’s a quick recap of what was asked and some of the excellent answers we received. (Believe me, there are many more than can fit here.)

We asked job seekers:

• Do you include an objective on your résumé or use a professional summary instead?
  “Personally I use a summary. For high schoolers, whom I’ve worked with in the past-I had them do really specific objectives.” – @srlaugtug
• Do you try to fit all of your expertise on 1 page or are you OK with it spilling into 2 pages?
  “If e-mailing directly I do 2 pages. If ATS or online 1 page hitting keywords.” – @AshShute
• Is your résumé posted online? Why or why not?
  “Yes my résumé is online because if I don’t post it then how do I expect recruiters/hiring managers to find me.” – @collegegraduate
• What does your résumé say about you? Or what do you hope it says about you?
  “My résumé says what I want it to say to the employer Im applying to. Meaning, I tailor it to what they are looking for.” – @srlaugtug
• Do you include hobbies or other personal info on your résumé? Why or why not?
  “Possibly include hobbies if related to the position you’re looking for, such as photography, painting, dancing.” – @miss_smiley10

We asked recruiters:

• What are your thoughts on objective vs. professional summary and which do you prefer?
  “Objectives r usually a 2-3 line generic useless summary. Prof. Summary outlines strengths & career goals/interests. More useful” – @AshleyRecruits
• Does résumé length matter to you?
  “Rules made to be broken. If content is relevant to employer needs, concise & interesting, then forget pg count-go for content” – @DawnBugni
• What are your biggest résumé turnoffs?
  “Spacing & font should be consistent throughout. It shows lack of attention to detail if not.” – @justinhywood
• What are your thoughts about including hobbies and other personal info?
  “Use common sense w hobbies, personal interests, volunteering > résumés. Relate to job? Include, making sure they point to specs.” – @AnneMessenger

If you missed out on last night’s chat, fear not: there are more to come in the future.  In fact, we’ll be talking about résumés again on Wednesday, March 30, at 12 p.m. Central.

You can also follow @CareerBuilder to get updates and information about future chats, and feel free to offer any additional thoughts or suggest future #cbjobchat topics in the comments section below.

If you’ve seen the recent reports that more employees are quitting their jobs as the economy improves, then hearing that employee loyalty nationwide is at a three-year low should be about as shocking as hearing that Charlie Sheen is getting a reality TV show.

I mean, we all saw this coming, right? (Well, maybe not all of us…See below.)

Today, MetLife released a new study indicating that, not only is employee loyalty at its lowest point since 2008, but some employers evidently aren’t aware of this fact. (Awkward!) According to the study, 47 percent of employees report feeling a very strong loyalty to their employers, while 51 percent of employers said they felt employees were very loyal.

You can read the details of the study here, but below are some of the larger implications that you as an employer need to consider:

Certain benefits matter more than you think:  While employers are generally correct in thinking that salary and wages are the biggest drivers of employee loyalty, many underestimate the role retirement benefits and non-medical benefits (such as dental, disability and life insurance) play in employee satisfaction, too.

Benefits are only as good as how well you communicate them: Maybe it’s not the lack of benefits that irks employees, but the lack of awareness.  Another finding was that more than half of all employees (55 percent) believe the communication they receive from their employers regarding benefits is either unclear or too infrequent.  If you’re doing a poor job of communicating your employee benefits and how employees can take advantage of them, you might as well not offer them at all.  

“Effective communications can make the difference between benefits that are understood and valued, and benefits that are overlooked and underutilized. Communicating effectively is related to improved benefits satisfaction, job satisfaction and loyalty,” said MetLife’s vice president of U.S. Business, Dr. Ronald S. Leopold, in the press release.

It’s time to get over your fear of social media: It’s your call whether you want to use social media or not (and the survey shows 70 percent of you are leaning towards the not end of this spectrum)…but know this: There’s a growing desire among Gen Y and Gen X employees to acquire benefits information through social networking sites – and a similar number want to get them through mobile devices, too.

Of course, none of this is to imply that your employees are dissatisfied (or among of the 74 percent of workers who already have one foot out the door)…But how do you know unless you ask?

If you take nothing else from this survey, let it serve as a reminder that you and your employees might not be on the same page in terms of what they want and what you’re giving them. So take the hint and start checking in with your employees again - conduct surveys, solicit feedback, ask for suggestions – and then actually USE THE INFORMATION.  

If you don’t start meeting your employees halfway, it’s only a matter of time before they find an employer who does.

For further reading on employee retention during times of economic uncertainty, check out Amy Chulik’s recent post on the subject, Employee Morale is Not a Trend – So Don’t Treat It Like One

While you were busy not being at all pretentious, failing to impress anyone in Arizona, wondering when these two became friends or deciding that even that annoying “five dollar footlooooong” jingle can’t get in the way of true love…here’s what was happening in the world of workforce management this week.

• Groundbreaking evidence shows employees don’t respond well to pay cuts. In a new article for Slate, writer Ray Fisman explores the research that indicates that while pay cuts lower productivity, raises don’t do much to boost it, either. (Slate)   
• Seeing co-workers at the gym can be awkward awesome. So long as spandex stays out of the picture, working out alongside colleagues can be a great team-building experience, argues Wall Street Journal writer Sue Shellenbarger.  (WSJ)
• Being popular is a blessing and an HR curse. Facebook received 250,000 job applications in 2010, AllFacebook.com revealed this week. Awesome for Facebook but maybe less so for its HR department, which has its work cut out for it sorting those applications…(Shameless self-promotion alert: ) Guess they should’ve used CareerBuilder’s free screeners! (AllFacebook.com)
• Employees who work in Canada are about to go “om.” Justice Canada in Ottawa is participating in a taxpayer-funded program that uses the Buddhist concept of mindfulness to help employees cope with personal and workplace pressures. (Vancouver Sun)
• Young professionals want to live the Google life. Out of 150 employers, Google topped the list of companies young professionals want to work for the most. Facebook must be dying to know how many applications they received last year… (WSJ)
• Sometimes, there’s just no satisfaction in finding out you were right…A new CareerBuilder survey shows that women believe men earn more than they earn. Turns out, they’re right. Really, really right. (The Hiring Site)
• Perks are back! (Except for that one that about getting pay raises.) A new survey by Accountemps shows that while companies are still hesitant to increase employee pay, they’re trying to compensate in other ways to retain and attract employees. But is it working? (Cliffhanger!) (MSNBC)
• Someone must’ve missed the memo about the Accountemps survey. Radio talk show host Howard Stern is suing his employer, SiriusXM Radio, for failing to pay him the bonus he believes his contract entitles him to.  (MSNBC)
• It’s not just men who are clueless about women. Employers all over the world are, too. A new survey shows that employers worldwide lack a strategy to develop women leaders. (Typical employers. Am I right, ladies?) (FoxBusiness)
• Pay-for-performance programs can end up costing employers. Pay-for-performance programs can bring out the happy, productive and motivated worker in every employee and lead to better business results for employers. OR…they can also do the exact opposite of that. (Globe and Mail)