Category Archives: Career Development

Check out this hangout with the @Gozaik team discussing the new Twitter Resume and Job Posting product Gozaik

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gozaikA few weeks ago I came across a new product for both sides of the hiring line – job seekers looking to find jobs and connect with recruiters online and for the recruiter and companies looking for prime candidates! I’m talking about a new kind of Google filtering within Twitter that narrows the job search for the above mentioned folks.

I immediately connected with the founder Joe Budzienski and asked if he would join me in a hangout to discuss it further, which we did. Here is the recording – it’s only around 30 mins!

I love anything that has to do with social and new technology! Check out the cool ways this is going to help you as Employers, Recruiters and Hiring Managers:

Promote Your Job Tweets

  • Gozaik job search displays job tweets to job seekers. Sign up now to validate your Twitter handle and drive more traffic to your Twitter job posts.

Search Candidates (COMING SOON!)

  • Identify active job seekers that meet your criteria. Review rich multimedia resumes. Watch video introductions.

Spot Trending Talent (COMING SOON!)

  • We spotlight ‘trending’ job seekers. Individuals with the most activity trend within your dashboard, highlighting job seekers you may be interested in.

Tweet Job Announcements (COMING SOON!)

  • Increase your job tweet response by delivering your job announcements through our ‘Job Announcement’ service. We structure tweets to optimize candidate response.

If you’re a job seeker or someone wanting to hire the best talent – do yourself a favor and check out Gozaik. Make sure to connect with them online. Get in on the ground floor!

 

Yo! I’m firing my current and only employee, Myself!

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firing yourselfSome of you know that last summer (2012) or somewhere around there, my friend and cohort Sabrina Baker and I started Discovering Social. Our idea was to assists Job Seekers through Webinars, in person and online workshops, training classes, and whatever else we could do to help them incorporate social media into their job search strategy. We have seen amazing things happen in this endeavor and are running full-speed ahead.

After a few months of diving in and getting the word out we noticed that there were still a few Human Resource and Recruiting folk running  around still looking to learn more about how to build their personal and professional brand and online footprint and trying to determine how to use social themselves (in recruiting and other sorts).

We then began to serve both ends of the hiring spectrum in building our Linked In groups and focusing our training to assists both sides in their endeavor to use social media with work, finding jobs and in sourcing for potential job candidates.

We are seeing tremendous success in helping folks around the globe in this endeavor and it’s what’s keeping us up at night. We’re passionate (to overuse an overused word) about helping others in understanding the what, why’s and how’s of doing social and we’re making some headway.

Conundrum Ahead

That being said, I have found myself overworked and running in a million different directions between my usual HR Conferences, Speaking opportunities, Blogging both here and elsewhere, holding Webinars, training and workshops for Discovering Social and my own business > Social Buzz Concepts. Add to that all the social media management of not only these two companies but my clients as well, and to be honest my head is about to explode. I’m sure you’re exhausted just reading that. So….

I have taken the last few months to really seek out where I need to go and feel that I am to do away with my current company and business “Social Buzz Concepts” and migrate strictly over to Discovering Social as of today.

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I will continue to blog here and over at Discovering Social, as well as SHRM We Know Next, and will continue to manage a  few client social media accounts as I can.

I am excited about where we are taking Discovering Social and I’m passionate about helping others incorporate social in their Job Search strategies, online networking and brand building and developing strategic planning into implementing social into their business initiatives.

Do Your Part

Now we sure could use your support so make sure to check out the NEW DESIGN on our Website, Follow us on the Twitters, Give us a “LIKE” on Facebook Page and join our LINKED IN groups to show your support!

I understand that this is a HUGE leap of faith for me and that thrills me – to no end. I’ve never been one to play it safe – and I’m cool with that!

We thank you for your support – you all are a fantastic community! Stay tuned for more updates.

Trying to be hip and lying to get a job is never a good idea! (Video)

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old hipsterWhile watching TV this past week I saw a perfect example of a Gen X’er trying to get a job that they were not qualified to do from the show Suburgatory. This dude was trying to be a hipster (which he wasn’t) and shows how dumb it makes you look when you aren’t being true to yourself.

Although the video is so far out there and funny as heck – it’s never a good idea to pretend you have the skills for the job you are applying for. Take a look >

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Click the link to watch video:

Take Away’s:

  • Never apply to a job where you don’t hold the skills, qualifications and experience – it will come back to bite you.
  • Be yourself – or you’ll come off looking like a douche-bag.
  • There are no social media gurus and if you really don’t do social – don’t act or talk like you do.
  • Act your age – they’re going to know you’re old when they see you. Playing hip only gets you so far.
  • It’s never good to lie to get a job or anything else, for that matter

Can you add any more? I’m sure there are plenty.

The value of using Google+ Hangouts within your Organization

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google hangoutIt’s been a year and some odd months that Google+ brought us the Hangout which we slowly eased into for fear of folks seeing us in our pajamas. Now, we hear about hangouts happening almost every day. And yes, even in Human Resources.

Sometimes we feel disconnected from employees that are perhaps overseas and we talk with them mainly via email or sometimes Skype and are really looking for a much better approach to talking with those with whom we converse on a regular basis.

I love Google+ Hangouts and here’s why:

  • They close the disconnect. Let’s face it, you can only do so much with email. And it’s a known fact, we spend tons of hours a day (up to 2 hours) not to mention the costs associated with it, trying to track folks down, see if they’ve read your emails, find out why they haven’t responded. Hangouts cuts out all that and allows for real-time face-time with up to nine folks.
  • Hangouts can be recorded.  This function can be a great asset to holding virtual sales meetings (or any kind of meeting) that can be recorded, automatically saved to Youtube (marked as private) and shared within your organization at any time. This is especially great for those who don’t show up or are late to meetings. Or, perhaps you have sales teams across geographical points, hangouts would be a great tool for management teams to gather together to share knowledge, brainstorm and then share with their teams.
  • You can share documents, videos and / or presentations within the hangout. Talk about opening new ways to train your team. I’ve used this in several of my hangouts especially with some very cool HR Tech developers to host a demo to those within the hangout. We were scattered all over the globe, yet we were participating LIVE with one another, while watching a presentation, while participating on the demo of the technology within our smartphones and/ or tablets. It’s really a shift in the way we do things…..
  • I’ve also used hangouts to showcase HR conference speakers and bloggers for an upcoming conference. What this does is allow the rest of the world to spy in on your conversations (if you make them available to the public) and really get to know your speakers and bloggers on a personal level. We’ve also used hangouts for LIVE STREAMING our events to those who weren’t able to make the event. It’s a win-win, really.

The only thing that is limited is your brain’s capacity to be creative in how you can utilize these fantastic technologies. These fantastic tools can assist you in creating better engagement, greater communication with your team members across the globe, and aid you in your everyday first-world problems within your organizations.

And did I mention it was free?

Here is an example of one hangout I did. Take a look and get a feel of what it can do for you!

For those of you not yet on the Google bandwagon, here’s a great guide “The Complete Google Guide.”

Building your online community BEFORE you need it!

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online community buildingI’m a part of a fantastic community called #TChat (Talent Culture) and World of Work started by the awesome Meghan Biro. You should check out the TChat radio program on Tuesday evenings and our Twitter Chat on Wednesdays > Read more about that HERE. This is a fabulous global professional discussion where we discuss things from Social Business and Branding to Careers and the World of Work.

This past Wednesday we discussed “Connecting Career Dots“ and let me say it was a great discussion. I learn so much from this community. You need to connect with them. It’s always great to learn from others in business and hear their expertise, experience and to always be learning.

One of the questions that was on the agenda that we discussed was our “What is your advice to those in the Job Market for utilizing technology” and my answer was a big “Build your Community BEFORE you need it!“

Building an online community takes time, effort and patience. Some people just don’t get this.

Some people start their social strategy without a strategy and think that they can immediately start selling their wares, themselves, their careers, their resume’s or whatever and that’s just not how it works.  It takes time to build a trusted brand and community that includes sharing others content, retweeting, interacting, engaging and proving that you’re an expert in your field. Why would you want to shoot it all to hell by self promotion?

Social Community Building is a sticky wicked. Granted, you’re there to show the world how fabulous you are but there is a thin line between self-promotion and showing you’re all that! It’s more about relationship building.

I have folks tell me all the time “Susan, you are so connected – how did you ever get that way?”

My answer? I follow folks that I wanna connect with. I engage with them. I share their awesome content. I make them laugh. I comment on their updates. And then they start noticing you…….it starts happening. They start following you back. They start commenting on your updates, and so on, and so on.

Yes, this takes a lot of time and perseverance. But the end justifies the means.

I know that if and when I need anything, I have a community that knows the answer or where to go to get it. These folks trust me and are totally willing to lend a hand, send a recommendation, help me get a job or refer me to someone who needs my goods.

If you were laid off today, do you have that community that you could go to for these kinds of things? Something to ponder.

Photo Credit: Andar360

Are you a Fluffer or the Real Thing?

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flufferMost of us know what a “fluffer” is because we weren’t born yesterday. For those of you who don’t know I’ll give you the run-down:

Fluffer – A hired crew member of an adult film to keep the male participant “engaged” before he has access to the real thing.

I tried putting that in a nice way.

Why am I discussing that over here at HR Virtual Cafe? Good question.

For the past several months I have been taking a step back and looking at the things I’ve got in my hand (ahem) and really trying to cut out those things that (a) are robbing my time (b) not part of my strategic approach to where I want to go (c) not making me money (d) getting in the way of my work and life and I’m trying to prioritize.

That being said, I’ve often wondered if my writing and my blog are somewhat looked at as a “fluffer” to the real pros out there who are writing great content and changing the world. Or, am I only taking up space and wasting my time.

My hope is that I’m providing somewhat great (and entertaining) content AND steering folks over to the other bloggers and pros out there who are doing an extraordinary job!

Here are a few things to consider when thinking “You may just be a Fluffer” in the blogging world:

  • Are you writing consistently? Some say the rule of thumb is 2-3 times per week – others say “Only write when you feel inspired or have something great to say.”
  • Are you providing real-life problem solving to your readers / potential readers questions and dilemmas? (Dwane Lay has caused me to rethink my blogging strategy)
  • Are you staying up-to-date with current and real life issues in your industry that should be addressed? It’s important to always be learning. There are great bloggers and authors out there who I continue to learn from every day. Face it, you don’t know everything and hearing other people’s experience and perspective is a great learning experience.
  • Are you simply writing to entertain or to change the world? We all need a little distraction and entertainment too!
  • Are folks coming back for more of you? Are you constantly “raising the bar” (pun intended) with your posts or are you stuck in a rut of nothing to say? If you are, take time away from your writing and work – take a walk, read a book or another blog and gain a new perspective. That usually helps. If not – give it up.

If you’re writing a blog simply because some guru told you that you needed to start a blog and you’re not passionate about what you do – it may be a good time to rethink your strategy. Not everyone should blog.

There was a time when I was hearing from every “Tom, Dick and Harry” out there that everyone needed to have a blog. We’ve seen this over and over but if it doesn’t align with your strategy, you don’t have a knack for writing, the end doesn’t justify the means, then maybe you should find something that you are better at – and get to it!

One day you may visit this blog and find “page not found” – but for now, I’m fluffing for the smart guys!

Here’s a great new list for you – just put out by Laurie Ruettiman “HRBN 40 under 40” – check it.

Online perverts and douche-bags; Your reputation matters!

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Hey guys! I’m on vacation and trying to unplug (YEAH RIGHT) from the Webs this whole week. I thought I’d share a few previous posts for your enjoyment. Catch you on the flip-side.

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So I’ve been trying to get in shape and for about 3 months or so, I’ve been running in the mornings. It’s actually been quite nice out, so it helps get me going and gives me a chance to clear my head while getting a little exercise in.

One day last week while on my run I was starting to come up on this dude and thought to myself, “Well, I really don’t want to run past him but he sure is going slower than me, what are my choices?” I kind of took my pace down a little so as not to have to pass him, but this guy just.wasn’t.going.anywhere. So on we go another 800 ft like this.

When I turned the corner I decided not to pass him on the sidewalk where he was running (ahem-if we can call it that) so I took it to the street and passed him. Now, as I was passing him I could hear him singing along with the music in his headphones (out loud) and kinda snickered to myself. But when I passed him he blurts out “Nice T&$#” OUT LOUD where I could hear him. Yes, with his outside voice. I wondered, does he not think I can hear him?

And may I add, I had decent running clothes on and I didn’t deserve this at all! It was rude and uncalled for!

It made me realize that some of us do this online – and I’m not exempt. I’ve done it. I’ve said things online OUT LOUD that I shouldn’t have probably said and others probably thought the same thing I thought when this guy behaved badly.

Then there have been numerous times I have typed a status update only to hit the back space key and delete it because it just was dumb.

How we behave online can really make or break our reputation. Your online reputation matters. It can affect your business, your job, a potential job or even getting into college.

Just like this jerk behaved like an idiot, we too, do and say stupid stuff online (it’s a given we do it offline) that we just ought not say. And just like this nincompoop (whom I will forever stay away from when and if I see him again) made a fool out of himself, folks will tend to start doing to us if we don’t keep ourselves in check.

We shouldn’t always say what pops in our head! (If I posted all that pops in my head, I’d probably be in jail)

So before you hit “send” or “reply” it’s always good to stop a minute and think, “Is this going to make me look like a douche bag?” and seriously consider the ramifications.

You don’t want to be a douche bag do you? I didn’t think so.

Photo Credit: JasonNAzar

When HR is kicked to the Curb

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I can’t tell you how many emails, DM’s, Facebook Messages and LinkedIn messages I get from folks that are looking for work. And I don’t mind at all.

I love connecting folks with other people who are looking for prime candidates online and looking for referrals and recommendations from people they trust. That’s the new way of doing it.

With every new job posting it seems there are hundreds applying for that same position which can be very frustrating and overwhelming to someone in our current job market.

Even if you’ve gone to college and received a PHR, SPHR, GPHR or GOPHER (okay, I made this last one up) and have worked in your field of expertise for hump-teen-million years – you are not exempt from being laid off. It’s a fact!

It’s interesting and alarming that so many HR and Recruiter friends are the ones contacting me lately with the awful news of them finding themselves being laid off, canned, booted out of their long-term positions and some of them are frantic. I would be the same.

I will say it again folks, nothing is EVER a sure thing.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’ve found yourself in this position and are in job-search mode:

  • Network: Try and stay connected online and off. You may just connect to the right person that can make that introduction to a key connection that will help you get that next gig.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach out to your connections and let them know (like folks are doing with me – and that’s cool). Sometimes you just have to open that mouth (or email) and let others know your business. We all need support. And again, your connections may be key in helping you get that next opportunity.
  • Keep your certifications up to date. Go to conferences and sit through all the boring sessions if you have to.
  • Continue to pour any and every kind of knowledge in the ole brain. And no, you don’t already don’t everything there is to know. If nothing else, it will help you maintain your sanity. (Note: Try to refrain from all the Alien shows. You don’t want to mention those in your next interview)

It hurts my heart when I receive an email from a friend (especially a smart and savvy HR friend) telling me they were just let go. I immediately go into a mode where I’m looking through all my connections to see who I can connect them with that can help, wracking my brain for a job posting I’ve seen across the Webs that have been shared by my recruiter friends and struggling to try and see how I can help them in their search.

As I stated yesterday on a status update “It takes a Village.” But if you haven’t invested time in building that Village before you need it I just don’t see how you are going to survive this new way of the social job search incorporated into your strategy.

Being able to connect and pull from those said Villagers is key in getting ahead in your job search in today’s social savvy marketplace.

For more info on how to develop social into your job search strategy check out Discovering Social’s “Defining your Personal Brand.”

A time and a place – for cleavage!

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I’ve been to so many conferences and networking functions this past year – I can’t even see straight. It’s a good thing though. We must get out of our PJ’s and out into the REAL WORLD once in awhile or we start saying things like, “I’m not gonna hurt ya, I’m gonna bash your brains in” (Okay, maybe that’s a little rough – and for those of you who may not know, comes from the movie “The Shining”).

But I must say, I’ve seen way too much cleavage at these “work” functions.

Cleavage is not a bad thing, but when we see it in the workplace (especially on a daily basis), at a work networking event, at every conference you attend, or fill in the ___________________, then I start wondering “What’s with these people?”

I really would rather look them in the eye and not be distracted. Imagine what it’s doing to the men folk around you?

Now for the record, I have great cleavage. But IMHO, there’s a place for it.

In fact, when I first started in sales in a male dominated industry and my clientele was made up of construction workers and the trades – it totally helped increase my sales and made me “stand out” (pun intended) from among my peers.

And I broke my own rule recently of showing too much cleavage at a recent event I was speaking at just hoping that in case my presentation sucked, I would keep the audience amused. (I kid)

But let me just get my point out there since this is my blog, I’m tired of looking at your cleavage. It looks like (as one friend pointed out) a baby’s ass poking through your blouse. And you’re better than that!

My point is, there is a time and a place for all things (even cleavage). Not sure that HR conferences, our offices, business networking events or during work hours is the place. Be smart. Dress appropriately.

Save it for the crazy HR after parties.

The What, How and Why of Defining your Personal Brand

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Big brands like Coke, Pepsi, McDonalds are understanding the need for having an online presence in not only promoting their brand but actively listening to what folks are saying about them online, being able to quickly respond and engage their customers or potential customers.

The same tools can be used for building your personal brand to actively listen online, connect with key influencers and potential companies you’d like to work for and stay in touch with current job opportunities, for example.

It even works in our social business strategies. Knowing how to develop a strategy from point A to point B is so important.

Your brand is all about who you are and how you want to be known.

My pal Kyle Lacy just posted a fabulous article on this subject called “10 Steps To Writing Your Personal Brand Story” and it has many nuggets to incorporate into your strategy. I encourage you to read it.

That being said, I am hosting a Webinar today at 2:00 pm Central Standard Time, on “Defining Your Personal Brand” that will give you some insight into a few things such as:

  • Being present in social spaces
  • The importance of having an online presence
  • How Organizations and Big Brands are using branding and social media
  • How Job Seekers are using personal branding to find jobs (with a REAL LIFE Case Study)
  • What is Employer Branding?
  • What separates you from the pack?
  • The Power of Engagement and Online Connections

You won’t want to miss it. Sign up HERE>”Defining Your Personal Brand Webinar“

I’ll be sure and put on some makeup, do my hair and get out of my PJ’s.