Why HR Must Embrace Social Media

Why HR Must Embrace Social Media Social technology is one of the hottest trends in talent management. Organizations are seeking ways to harness social technology to spark innovation and motivate employees but many have yet to fully embrace it. Social platforms and networks have already started to emerge in all facets of talent management but this survey from Silk Road found that HR leaders are just now starting to feel the heat to assess, justify and implement social technology initiatives. In fact, the survey found that 75 percent of respondents felt that their company was behind the curve with internal and external use of social technology. The survey also found that companies are accelerating their adoption of internal social technology. Two thirds of the companies (67 percent) surveyed have adopted or planned to adopt the technology. However, many implementations are incomplete, or are in the early stages. Of those that have adopted internal social technology, success has been moderate: 24 percent indicated that it was too soon to tell at their organization, 22 percent reported good success and only five percent reported either poor results or terrific success. It’s clear that a “build it and they will come” approach won’t yield the results HR seeks (and the C-level demands) â€" HR must embrace it and develop a disciplined approach to social technology in order for it to be successful. Takeaways: 91% of recruiters use social media to source and cross reference candidates. 67% of companies surveyed have already adopted or plan to adopt internal social technology, and 36 percent plan to start within the next year. About half of the companies still block employees use of social media although there is no good reason for this RELATED:  Why Employers Love Social Recruiting. Image: Shutterstock

How to shift between work and dating

How to shift between work and dating Here is a map of where all the single men are: http://creativeclass.typepad.com/thecreativityexchange/2007/04/the_singles_map.html I do not live near any single men. Well, I sort of do. My divorce lawyer has set me up with a few men in my hometown, Madison, Wisconsin. He told me that I am too focused on my work life. I need to get my personal life in order. Heres how things went: One guy was a little chunky in the middle, but he is a real estate mogul. I know, youre thinking, real estate mogul, in Wisconsin? Are there any? There are a few. I mean, Lake Michigan is a nice place in the summer, and also, someones gotta own the real estate around the Green Bay Packers stadium. And besides, you can invest in real estate from any state, really. So I went out with the real estate guy. He said right away that he wants to diversify, and I thought right away that Id get him to fund my company. But before I could move in for the kill, I started falling for him. Which was very bad because I did not have my dating pitch set. Only my company pitch. And, he actually said to me, You need a better pitch. About my marriage. He said that. He said I need to explain in a quick way what happened with the marriage. I told him that I think that my husband probably has Asperger syndrome, and, hell, probably I do, too. And we are the marriage of varying degrees of social awkwardness. I told him thats why I think our marriage fell apart. That did not go well. Fortunately, in a town like Madison, all the rich guys go to the same divorce lawyer, so my lawyer had another idea. A furniture store owner. I was like, DUH! Do you not see my income in these divorce papers? I cannot date a furniture salesman because maybe Ill fall in love and marry him and hell stop working and then divorce me and Ill be supporting two men for the rest of my life and still not be having sex. The divorce lawyer is a guy who can withstand many hysterical fits in one day probably because he charges hourly for them but also because it comes with the territory when you are helping people get through the worst time in their lives and they need someone to blame for it. So he said, Its not just furniture. He owns every furniture store in the state. I said Id consider it. And while I was waiting for the divorce negotiations to kick into high gear, I noticed that all furniture delivery trucks have the guys name on them. Like there is a furniture monopoly in Madison or something. So I called him. And then I got this idea. I had this radio show in Madison but I didnt like doing it because it really doesnt help my blog. So I stopped doing it because local radio is local and internet is not local. But then I thought that I could get this guy to give me a new dining room set if I could say his name on the radio during my show. Like, product placement. And then I started fantasizing about my dates with him and at the end of a great night of marketing discussions and drunk flirting, we would end up putting great furniture inside a truck with his name on it and drive it to my house. Thats the problem with all my dating. I cant stop letting my mind turn it into a business transaction. I thought for a second that I had changed my ways when I finally got a guy into bed. After missing just about every cue he gave me over the course of almost two days. So there we were in bed, but I realized that hes got all this great information about recruiting, and my company, which is actually in recruiting, could benefit from that. So I asked him how candidates differentiate themselves. He said, What? Then he said that the best candidates never let anyone know they are looking. They just let people know what theyre great at. We talked and then I was happy that I had something to write about and I fell asleep in his arms. This is how I know I better move to a place that has more single men. Because look, Ive gone through three already and not been able to stay focused on the non-work part of things. I need more chances to figure out how to separate my work life and my personal life. I am not totally sure how to do it. Am I the only woman with this problem? Dont most women spend the majority of their time with men in a work situation? And dont most women train themselves to not do dating when its time to do work? So how do we retrain ourselves? I am so good at figuring out how to do business with every guy I meet. How does this translate on a date?

Employers Really Act Stupid at Times - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Employers Really Act Stupid at Times - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career As a career coach, I’m often asked to help job seekers evaluate more than one job offer that they’ve received within a short time period. Such a phenomenon is happening more often than logic would bear: a job seeker searches for months and months without luck, and then all of a sudden, two or even three job offers come in almost simultaneously. In today’s inflationary job market, too many qualified applicants are chasing too few openings. Employers know that, and as a result, some of them treat applicants unfairly and unethically. I’ve seen it go to such extremes that job seekers get truly abused and suffer embarrassment and humiliation. But those who find themselves in such circumstances keep good memories of such abuse and sometimes take revenge . . . I’m currently working with a client who had earlier been in a protracted transition. Because he was older than 50, he experienced age discrimination when competing against younger candidates. After several months of fruitless attempts at job search, he received a few invitations for initial phone- and video-screening interviews that indeed culminated in a series of in-person interviews. Some of interviews were one-on-one and others were panel interviews. The offer of one of the positions had come from an outside recruiter, and the application and interview process was lengthy, cumbersome, arduous, and often impersonal. During several weeks of assiduous preparation and emotionally tense anticipation, the fellow happened to receive several more opportunities to interview with other companies. The first companyâ€"after investing a significant amount of management time and actual money to reimburse the candidate for travel expensesâ€"extended him an offer. The offer was fair but not generous despite the fact that the company knew that in his previous positions, he’d had a better compensation package. My client accepted the offer and felt very content to be reemployed. Paychecks kept coming, the work was interesting, his colleagues seemed friendly, and he received extensive training because the job was technical. In fact, he was sent out of state for a week of training. Such was the situation for about eight weeks. One morning a recruiter called him. It was the same recruiter who’d sent him to other interviews and was at last ready to make my client an offer. The offer consisted of a marginally improved compensation package, and the commute would be slightly shorter. That’s when I received a call from my frustrated client: he needed an outsider to help him decide what to do. For such situations, which are more common than we might think, I developed a detailed work sheet I have my clients fill out. It’s a half-hour exercise in which they write down the advantages and disadvantages of two or more competing job offers. The specific requirements are that the first time around, they compare the positions based only on sheer facts and logic, and the second time around, they do the same but drop the logic and think only about emotional aspectsâ€"namely, gut feelings. Once the entire exercise is completed, the right answer is easy because everything’s been laid out. When my client did that exercise to evaluate both job offers from the emotional perspective, all of the bitterness he’d accumulated against the first company that had put him through hell before offering him the job surfaced loud and clear. At that point, he told me, the decision was easy: he resigned and took the second offer. To some extent, he said, it was out of vengeance. And that I can understand.

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese How to Sell Something New to Team

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese How to Sell Something New to Team Gone are the days when men like Dan Draper in Mad Men leisurely sipped his Old Fashioned and slowly reeled in a customer with idle chit chat and charm. These days, Draper would be lucky to get someone to read his emails as customers dont have the time or inclination to be wooed slowly by those hoping to make a sales. Its clear that digital is rapidly changing the way customers do business, and that means that sales teams must also change if they want to continue to be viable sources of products and services for those customers. Still, it can be a tricky process: How can sales teams or any business team make theshift that customers demandwhile still doing day-to-day business? It becomes really, really difficult to keep a foot in both worlds, says Rick Cheatham, co-author with Lou Schachter of Selling Vision. What theyve discovered is that once organizations recognize the need to sell something new, then they want to do it as quickly as possible. While that enthusiasm may seem admirable, the problem is that these organizations want the sales people to immediately begin selling the new product or service with no transition time to learn about the new offerings. The lack of transition allowing teams to sell current offerings while moving into selling the new product can create not only resentment and fear, but threaten the long-term success of the new product, they say. The important thing for leaders is to make it clear to everyone that this is why we must change and how we must do something better, Cheatham says. Good leaders get a really clear vision and talk about who (the company) aspires to be. It must be a purpose-drivenculture. At the same time, Cheatham says its critical that leaders not ask for ideas on how to make the transition or shift in strategy and then ignore those ideas. Or, bring in outsiders who lay down a new framework and then disappear. The best way to sell a vision and get employees like the sales team on board is to let them have a real say in how to do it. The leader says, For this to be possible, some things are going to have to change, and I want you guys to be part of that change, Cheatham says. If something needs to come off the table and thats going to be painful for the team then the leader needs to make sure they understand why it has to go away. In the book, the authors provide a roadmap, case studies and research for leaders trying to transition their teams from selling their current offerings into selling something new. Including: The customer is changing.People are overtasked and out(read more here)

5 Ways to Master Your Body Language for Job Interviews CareerMetis.com

5 Ways to Master Your Body Language for Job Interviews There’s plenty riding on a job interview, and while the conversation matters, your body language can speak volumes about what you’re really thinking.You know the drill for a job interview: Arrive on time, dress to impress and have some responses ready for questions the hiring manager is likely to ask. evalBut it’s also worth paying close attention to another aspect of the interview â€" your body language. The physical messages we send can be just as powerful as what we say. Being aware of your own body language, and that of the person on the other side of the desk, can help you nail the interview.Let’s look at five main body parts â€" from head to toe â€" to know how to read body language in an interview, and leave a strong impression that you’re the right person for the role.1) Your face â€" a wealth of expressionevalMeeting a stranger is never easy. In the context of a job interview it can be even harder as the cards are stacked in the hiring manager’s favour. However, a warm smile on meeting the interviewer can be a powerful ice breaker.Not all smiles are created equal. The litmus test of a genuine smile is that you let the corners of your eyes crinkle, rather than just turning up the corners of your mouth.A sincere smile is more than just contagious. It can demonstrate that you have an upbeat personality and a can-do attitude, both of which are highly sought-after.2) Embrace the power of eye contactEye contact plays a critical role in a job interview. By maintaining eye contact you give off clear signals that you’re genuinely interested in the role, and in what the interviewer has to say. If holding the hiring manager’s gaze becomes too much, it’s perfectly natural to glance briefly at your notes. Just be sure to look directly at the interviewer when they are doing the talking.The value of eye contact doesn’t lessen in different circumstances, it just needs to be adapted. At some stage of the hiring process for instance, you may find you rself facing an interview panel. That’s when you need to give each member of the panel equal eye contact when you speak. It can be demanding but it’s worth the effort. You never know which panellist will have the final say about whether you’re right for the role. evalSimilarly, you may be involved in a group interview, sharing the hiring manager’s attention with several other applicants. When other candidates are speaking, it’s important to give them full attention by making eye contact. Sure, they may be your competition, but taking the opportunity to flick some dust from your sleeve or stare around the room while they’re speaking can undo all your good work. It suggests a lack of interest in the opinions of others, and that’s definitely not a trait the hiring manager will be looking for.On the flipside, if you find the hiring manager’s gaze is wandering, it could be a sign that they’re losing interest. Try to alter the tempo of your voice, or offer shorter, sharp er responses. It may be that your answers are becoming a bit longwinded.3) Your posture â€" subtle signs say a lotAn easy way to demonstrate a professional, confident outlook is by sitting up straight. Not ramrod straight â€" try to lean in slightly towards the interviewer and tilt your head a little to show you’re engaged by what’s being said.Avoid lounging back with one arm thrown casually over the arm of the chair. It can give the impression of arrogance or an overly casual attitude. Conversely, hunching up, or lowering your chin into your chest can make you appear defensive.evalKeep an eye on the hiring manager’s posture too. Aiming to replicate their posture can create the impression of being kindred spirits who think along the same professional lines. It’s a technique known as “mirroring”, but it needs to be used with subtlety. Don’t mimic the interviewer, which can be outright annoying. Rather, take cues from their posture to shape your own.4) Speaking with your handsAccompany that warm smile at the start of the job interview with a firm handshake. It doesn‘t need to be a knuckle-breaking grip, which can suggest dominance. Nor should it be a limp grasp, which speaks of insecurity. Try practicing your handshake with a friend until you feel you have it right. Quick tip: You know you’ll be expected to shake hands, so transfer any papers or notes to your left hand before you greet the hiring manager.What you do with your arms and hands for the remainder of the interview is just as important. During the meeting, avoid sitting with your arms crossed. It creates a sense that you’re closed off to the interviewer and uninterested in what they have to say.Many of us gesture with our hands, and that’s not a bad thing as it can show your passion about a topic. The trick is not to go overboard with wild arm swings or overly rapid hand movements that can quickly become annoying, and detract from what you’re saying. A good rule of thumb is to k eep your hands above the desk and below your shoulders.In the pressure cooker environment of a job interview, it’s easy to make hand gestures that you’re not even aware of, and it can work against you. Rubbing your chin, touching your lips, or playing with hair or jewellery are all movements that nerves can bring on. For the hiring manager though, it can suggest you’re uncomfortable rather than in command of the situation. If you don’t trust yourself, simply fold your hands on the desk. Chances are you’ll warm to the situation after the first few minutes and start to relax a little.eval5) Legs can say plentyJob interviews aren’t always conducted across a desk. You may be invited to sit on a low chair or couch around a coffee table. When that happens, your legs and even feet can speak volumes about how you feel.As tempting as it may be to cross your legs, resist the urge. Much like arm-crossing, this can suggest that you’re shutting out the interviewer. A safer option i s to sit with both legs together, with your feet pointed in the direction of the hiring manager. This shows you’re engaged in what they’re saying, and that you want to form a connection. Just as repetitive hand gestures should be avoided, foot tapping can be sign of nerves, or worse, irritation and impatience. Keep both feet flat on the ground, and it’s hard to go wrong.Practice makes perfectAs with all things in life, perfecting your body language in a job interview can call for practice. Try role-playing a few interviews with a friend or family member who will provide honest, constructive feedback. evalWe speak with far more than words alone, and mastering your body language is all part of the art of convincing the hiring manager that you’re the best candidate for the job.

How to advance your career - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

How to advance your career Career planning isn’t just restricted to people who are frustrated and looking to leave their job, it also applies to those who are happy in their current organisation but hungry for the next challenge, promotion or simply want to increase the depth and breadth of their knowledge and skills and become the “go to expert”.     The characteristics that are going to have the most significant impact on your success and satisfaction are self confidence, self belief, results orientation and a genuine enthusiasm and passion for your subject.   The majority of us will be in paid employment for a number of our adult years and if you want to remain satisfied, motivated and productive during your career it’s wise you select the job that best suits your interests and is aligned to your values.   Having a career plan is not a one off exercise that’s why it’s called a “Continuous Development Plan”.   It’s a long term commitment to learning, developing, growing and striving to improve your skills, knowledge and competence. If career advancement, promotion and progression are important to you then there are a few strategies to consider in your current position.   Keep the end in mind What’s your career goal? Where do you want to take your career? What are you personal career objectives?   If you don’t know where you are going…you may end up somewhere else!   You may as well hand over your career to someone else to make the decisions. I’ve interviewed many candidates over the last six years who don’t have a career plan â€" they are justifying not having a plan because they think you cannot possibly have a plan in these troubled economic times or this rotten labour market! No one said you  couldnt  have a flexible plan but you  wouldnt  jump on the first bus or train and not check whether it was going in  vaguely  the direction you wanted to eventually end up.   Having a plan means you are selective and considered.   Having a plan means you can weigh up and assess whether opportunities and tasks are going to take you in the right direction.   Having a plan means you can prioritise and manage your time appropriately and make sure everything you do and everyone you network with is contributing to your career advancement.   This type of calculated decision making process will go in your favour when you want to be considered for promotion.   Managers will know if you are genuinely interested in working in their team â€" well thought out reasons and decision making processes about your career will make you stand out from the crowd.     Network internally Most people tend to think of networking as an external activity.   However, networking internally is often overlooked and a missed opportunity.   If you know the direction of your career then you’ll know who to network with and build relationships with the people that will influence your future career. For example, when I worked in a corporate bank in the City, our ambitious employees were particularly good at networking internally.   They would be very comfortable approaching directors and heads of department to meet and discuss what they had to do to be considered in the future for that business area. It was the most positive example I’ve witnessed of building excellent long term mutually beneficial working relationships.           They also did something that would definitely increase their chances of success in the future â€" they met objectives and exceed expectations in their current role.   Even though each job is a stepping stone to the next job (when you have a plan), they would work really hard to do a good job, knowing this would be seen by their next manager in the business.   By the time these employees applied for an internal vacancy (generally a promotion or career progression) they’d already built up excellent credibility and good working relationships â€" even before they’d attended the interview.   Who in your organisation can help you in your career? Keep up to date and informed Research and regularly read the news in your sector.   This has several benefits to your existing career and any future career â€" keeping up to date with the latest legislation, regulation changes, competition, trends, can mean getting the next promotion or not! If your objective is to become the “Expert” in your field you better be up to date â€" it’s going to be awkward and embarrassing to miss an important change in the industry and be caught out!! Dedicate time every day to reading the professional journals, relevant newspapers, or sign up to news updates in your sector.   If you are a regular commuter then this is an ideal time to read the latest news you can always nap on the journey home!! Positioning yourself for promotion  doesnt  usually happen overnight â€" so you’ll need to spend time broadening your experience, skills,  and knowledge and that’s why it’s so important to do something you enjoy and have a plan.     Having a satisfying career is not just about the destination â€" it really is about your continuous journey. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dawn Moss  has been an in-house recruiter within corporate environments for more than a decade and has probably interviewed thousands of candidates during her career. She is also the author of Get the Interview Get the Job!! She is passionate and really enjoys supporting both hiring managers and candidates through the interview process. LinkedIn profile:  http://www.linkedin.com/in/dawninterviewcoach

How to Land That Dream Job With Resume Writing in Naperville

How to Land That Dream Job With Resume Writing in NapervilleIf you're looking for a way to get your resume noticed and help you land that dream job, look no further than resume writing in Naperville. There are numerous agencies in the area that offer resume and cover letter assistance so be sure to check them out before writing your own.A search on the Internet will give you the names of a number of agencies that offer resume writing in Naperville. But you'll want to be sure you select a company that will do all of the legwork. The last thing you want is to sit down with an agency and then find out they are only going to send you a computer generated resume.Most companies in Naperville have resume writers on staff that can assist you in writing your resume. This means that you won't have to write it yourself. Instead, the resume writer will do all of the hard work for you. The only thing you will have to do is sign a contract that outlines what will be done, including how many resume s will be written and when.One benefit of using resume writers in Naperville is that they have experience with every type of resume imaginable. They also know how to approach the companies that will review your resume and how to make sure your information is accurate. You'll also have the option of choosing whether or not the agency keeps copies of your resume for your reference.Before sending in your resume, be sure to make certain you understand all of the terms and agreements included in the agreement. Some companies will only accept resumes from those who are currently employed, while others may want you to submit a copy of your current resume or even both. Be sure you know the rules before signing any papers or dealing with any potential agencies.Many people hire agencies in Naperville to help them create a professional looking resume. Oncethey send you the copy, they'll take care of the rest. The important thing is that you have a resume that is accurate and has the informatio n on it needed by the employer.Many resume writers in Naperville have received industry awards for their accomplishments. This gives the writer added credibility as well as the added incentive to deliver on time. The downside is that it also makes the resume unique and may get lost among the many other resumes that are given to employers.If you are considering hiring a resume writer in Naperville, you should compare prices and find an agency that will provide you with excellent service. You should feel confident that your resume will be professionally done, not just some computer generated resume that was created by a machine.