StlRecruiting

Using Blogs To Hire Wireless Employees

If I told you to imagine a site called Wirelessjobs.com, you'd probably think it was a job board for the Cell Phone industry.

You'd almost be right.  It's actually the blog of Dennis Smith, the favorite of many recruiting bloggers, who writes on the issues of the wireless industry, and by the way posts jobs and hires people from that.

Dennis has a telling interview with Jason Davis where he says he gets several resumes a week off the blog, and has hired two people for his firm since November.

I joined WorldLink in November, and have made two hires from resumes that came to me directly from WirelessJobs.com.

JD:  Are you kidding?

Me:  No.

JD: Geez, that's excellent!  You need to blog about that!

Me:  Yeah, I know...I've been so busy I haven't been able to dedicate much time to the blog.

JD: Wow.  Do you get resumes every day from the site?

Me: Oh yeah. In fact, so many, that lately it's been difficult to connect with all of them as quickly as usual. But I'm not complaining. My primary goal, when I started blogging, was to use the blog as a tool to connect with the people that are important to me - people that are interested in the wireless industry (whether involved in active job search or not).

You can't argue with progress, my friends.

Interactive Marketing Employeer Marketplace

I've been in social media marketing for over two years now (which again makes me a relative grandpa), and after a lively conversation with a candidate yesterday, I often wonder if I should be working to place these people.

From Web Analytics Managers, to SEO specialists, to Database Marketers, E-mail List Consultants, Community Managers, and even humble (and not so humble) bloggers, corporate America, and the agencies that serve them, are struggling for talent.

Wired and Hired, a Talent Zoo blog that cover marketing jobs for the candidates, is saying it's s candidate's market right now in advertising.  In this post, Amanda begs her clients to do a better job selling themselves to her clients.

This means there are lots of unavailable creatives and very available job opportunities.

After searching, asking, analyzing and searching more, I find a great candidate for one of my available art director positions. They see value in my client’s job opportunity, we get through the initial stages of recruiting… and then there’s the interview.

Please, please learn to sell your agency to candidates.

This is a common problem for staffing firms, who go to the effort of finding passive or semi-passive candidates, and then have the deal fall apart when the company wants to assert its authority early in the hiring process.  From 2002-2004, this was more acceptable, as companies had the upper hand for most disciplines.  In the last three years, managers who don't show an interest in hiring bright people waste a lot of time interviewing candidates but failing to get them to accept the job offer.

It's not an easy answer.  If companies fall over themselves to recruit candidates, they look desperate, which leads to a weakened position in salary negotiations, and disgruntlement among current employees who wonder why the manager is so fawning to the new guy.  Managers went through that in the late 90's, and they aren't about to cede total control again.

So what can a company do?

Wachovia Securities In St Louis

Most of you know that Wachovia Securities purchased A.G. Edwards last year. The final branding has gone through, and the new company is officially Wachovia Securities.

What does that mean for the St Louis market?  First, Wachovia is adding 4500 jobs to their payrolls.  Now before you get too excited, most of those jobs will be filled by former AG Edwards employees internally, but there will be plenty of new positions and needs that have to be filled by people in St Louis.

There's also been a significant influx of employees from Virginia and Charlotte to St Louis, so if you meet people new to St Louis, be sure to greet them.

The news ties into a larger trend that should bode well for St Louis and the Midwest in general, even if are headed into a national recession (which I'm not sure I believe).  The large numbers of technology centers by major companies in St Louis requires a large workforce of highly skilled and highly payed Information Technology folks. The RCGA has been working on this for some time, and have a 50 page study on the matter. I'll be going through it in the month of February, but for those interested in peeking now, it's available for download at greaterstlouisworks.org.

The merger between AG Edwards and Wachovia Securities is underway, and with that comes the introduction of 4,500 jobs to the St. Louis market.  Most of these employees will be internal AG employees, but we do have quite a need for external candidates.  I am currently working on the HR positions we have available here at our St. Louis downtown location, and would be grateful for them to be posted on your blog, or sent to any candidates you know of that are looking for a new opportunity in the St. Louis area.

How To Use Google To Get Found As A Candidate

Jim Stroud has a neat article up over at the Job Search Strategist on the value of candidates using adwords to get themselves found by recruiters.  It's downright ingenious.

"Google has a cool tool call “Google Ad Words” that allows customers to advertise based on the search terms a Google visitor uses. Translation: You can advertise your resume at the top of the search results! “Whoa, hold on a minute there Sparky!” you say, “Advertising on search engines is expensive isn’t it?” To which I would reply, “Not really, 5 dollars is all it takes to get started.”

Now, while you are blinking your eyes in utter amazement (or, at least with mild fascination), let me give you the highlights of this most wonderful jobseeker tool.

Jim gives us the lowdown on what Google Adwords is, for those who aren't familiar, and walks you through an actual use of PPC (pay per click) that should help you increase your exposure for getting a job for as little as $5 a month.  That's some pretty smart recruiting.

Body Worlds Review At The St Louis Science Center

Body Worlds, the anatomical exhibition of real human bodies, is winding up its display at the St Louis Science Center.  Franki and I got a pair of comp tickets for the review, and so we headed over to the Science Center last Friday.

We originally looked at going back in December, but the crowds on the weekends had been so heavy, we waited until we could take some time during the week.  The crowds were still there, but we were able to get in inside 30 minutes.

The first thing you should know is that these are real human bodies.  Donors agreed to have their bodies plastinized so that people like you and I could look at him, and understand more about how the human body works.  Plastination is a process  invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens to preserve human bones and tissues, which then can be arranged to create aesthetically pleasing views of our insides.

The Science Center is of course a treat to take kids too in general, but the Body Worlds exhibit is a bit more than your typical scientific field trip.  You're looking at hearts, livers, muscles, bone fragments, and when you get past the visual display, there's the recognition that this sculpture in front of you was actually a person at some point.  That's a pretty trippy experience.

Top Notch HR Professional In Portland

Lance, better known as the HR guy in our circles, is looking for a new job in Portland.  He and the missus moved out to Oregon, and he's looking for a position that's closer than the remote work he's doing now.

As far as career transitions go, this is about as good as it can go. I love the company I am leaving, the company loves me back and doesn't want me to go but outside circumstances are forcing us apart like a corporate version of Romeo and Juliet (minus the double suicide).  Those circumstances are a fabulous job my wife got...250 miles away. The last six months involved me telecommuting but HR is one of those things where something gets lost in the distance. Ultimately, they need an HR guy (or gal) on-premise and I really want to work with someone besides my cat. So while I help in transition, I also have the pleasure of seeking a new position.

The best part about this is applying some of the things I didn't know when I first started job seeking a long while ago. For one, I have started by reaching out to my network instead of just mindlessly sending out a resume to every HR job in sight. I've already received a few leads along those lines. The next thing I am doing in conjunction with reaching out is...well, this. I am blogging about it. I know I have readers in Portland, OR and others who may be familiar with the area as well and I would love your tips and leads on anything HR/recruiting in Portland! Networking events and similar types of functions are also appreciated.

Lance is an excellent blogger (he just won the Best HR Blog at Recruiting Blogs), and if you're in that area, or know people that are, reach out to him and give him a hand.  You'll look good doing so.  His contact e-mail is at the link.

Recruiting Projects

Every once in a while, I like to send out some love to social media clients, especially those in the social media space. 

We'll start with Michael Homula, of Bearing Fruit Consulting.  Michael writes at BearingFruitConsulting on recruiter and sourcer training, workforce development, and employment branding. He' s a recruiter and management guru, and his business has been booming.

Margaret Graziano is a recruiter and business owner who believes in benchmarking, personality assessments, and behavioral interviewing. In addition to being a marketing dynamo, she recruits full time and has started a new company Keen Hire, which I expect to take the world by storm.

NetShare is a member-based social network that provides employment advice, social networking, referrals, and career guidance to executives.  It's a tightly knit community of executives nationwide who  utilize each other's strengths to find jobs, make hiring decisions, and work on their career management.
They also have a lot of six figure management positions in their network.

TechDirt Insight Commmunity Gold Level Expert

In social media news, I've been awarded the Gold Level Expert over at the Techdirt Insight Community, the highest level awarded for information provided to companies looking for advice on cutting-edge technologies.

My area of expertise is of course social media, but the Insight Community covers everything from mobile marketing to telecommunications to high-tech software and market information.  Check for yourself at InsightCommunity.com

My badge:

In addition, we've also rebranded Durbin Media. Franki decided she liked this cool, more modern look, so the next time you see me, ask for one of our cool business cards, and check out the new site at durbinmedia.com. If you're looking for a social media consultant in St Louis, or just want some blogging advice from an expert, contact us to set up a meeting. We specialize in online marketing, working with all companies interested in blogs, social networks, and social media. Check out the Brandstorming blog for advertising and marketing information.

Sr Technical Recruiter: West of 270

A staffing firm in West County is looking for a senior technical recruiter.  If the drive is getting you down, or if you want to make that six figures you were promised, here's your shot.

Title: Sr. Technical Recruiter Looking For:

• 4+ years full life cycle IT recruiting experience
• Proven Track record of placing individuals within the IT industry
• Experience calling on all levels of IT Candidates
• Knowledge of the local St. Louis Market
• Very hungry and aggressive (self-starter) mindset with strong presentation skills
• Bring a rolodex of relationships if possible 
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship skills(high energy, type A)
• Extremely professional individual with a stable work history
• Must be able to work in a team environment
• Be able to work in a competitive environment and have strong work ethic

If you're interested, you should contact Brent Gobrecht, a staffing recruiter working directly with the principal of the company.  Call Brent at (215)-795-0220, or e-mail him at b_gobrecht@comcast.net

It's a confidential search for you, but do mention where you read this if you call him.

 

RehabCare Starts Text Messaging Program With Blast Companies

Rehabcare Group has been running a successful college sourcing blog since August of last year.  Under the leadership of Barbara Wallace, the Campus Relations division of Rehabcare posts content relevant to students in school for occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy.

In addition to thousands of unique visitors, the blog also ranks well for terms like tuition reimbursement, the names of therapy exams, and information relating to Rehabcare.  But it isn't enough for this group.  The Campus Relations division does a lot of traveling to college campuses, where they get involved in career fairs and meet students who could become Rehabcare employees. In today's college environment, just about every student has a cellphone, and many of them aren't using e-mail on a regular basis.

Cellphone use is ubiquitous, and college-aged folks are no exception.  6 in 10 out of all college students have a cellphone (versus 8 in 10 in the general population), and they're used to getting text messages.

So Rehabcare teamed with Blast Companies, a local mobile marketing company that manages lists of customers by their phones, e-mails and mobile numbers.  Blast Companies set up an SMS marketing campaign to use with students that Rehabcare Campus Relations team has met in person.  The goal is continued contact with the students, helping manage the Rehabcare employment message in a medium the students are comfortable with.

Sound crazy?  That's because we're old fogies.  College Recruiters have had to adjust, sometimes working directly with texting to set up interviews, share offers, and even accept offers.  The world is changing, and Rehabcare is adjusting to that change with the help of Blast Companies.

And me?  I'm helping both companies in the social media space, so in the realm of disclosure, it's important you know they are both my clients.  Which is why it's so satisfying to see them working together.  Congratulations Chris and Barbara. 

Delivering Pizza In Less Than 30 Minutes Is Dangerous

Trying something new here, this is video content from a site called VoxAnt.  It covers a story on the local pizza deliveryman who carried a gun and shot a would be robber.  In this case, the company, Domino's, says they would have fired their driver if he hadn't quit.

While the idea of anyone blazing away is certainly scary, it seems a mistake for Domino's to tell its drivers not to defend themselves.  By doing so, they are encouraging thieves to attack their drivers.  And the question, is will prospective employees work for Domino's knowing the company is more worried about being sued than letting you defend yourself.

Employment branding, of the negative kind.

Robert Scoble Erased From Facebook

Lots of people have problems with Facebook.  But now one of their biggest fans has realized that even being a big blogger doesn't protect you.

Robert Scoble was erased from Facebook.  His profile and data are gone, and while many people in the blogosphere are enjoying a moment of schadenfreude, the issue of having all of your data and contacts erased is a big problem. 

Still - my sympathy for Robert isn't very high, primarily because of his comment on Facebook Observer about Harry Joiner.  Harry is a recruiter who was banned from Facebook for uploading his GMail address book to the site.  He complained, but got nowhere.  Eventually, he was reinstated. 

Harry joined Facebook because Scoble said it was the wave of the future.  And Scoble replied on Facebook Observer with this comment.

#1 Robert Scoble on 08.03.07 at 2:58 pm

This is spam behavior. If they allow it for him they have to allow it for the spammers. I’m glad they don’t allow you to do this. I have 4,200 contacts: each added one at a time.

Scoble didn't know Harry personally, but his reaction was negative.  He called Harry a spammer, suggesting that he was better because he added his names one at a time.  So what was Scoble booted for?  He exported 5000 contacts from Facebook to Plaxo.  He says he was checking to see who was already in Plaxo, but by his own definition, he was a spammer.  There's not much difference between what Scoble did and what he accused Harry of doing.

Maybe it's for the best.  Facebook has some serious privacy issues, and while it's no fun for Scoble, it's a wake-up call to the rest of the industry.  You don't own your data online unless you host it yourself.  And these companies that want you to sign up for social networking, aren't all in it for the freedom.

Small Businesses: Three Steps to Integrate Internships to Develop Candidates for Future

The following is a Recruiting Blogswap guest post from Tahjia Chapman.

Small businesses can leverage the recruitment process by integrating successful internship programs into their companies. The process is simple:  develop an internship outline with objectives, provide students with career related experience, and recognize students whom excel within the program. The list is quite short, but the most innovative internships withhold these three necessities.

Small businesses can use an internship to create a funnel of talented recruiters for future employment with their company. Develop a program with learning objectives. The first step to integrating a successful internship is by developing a program with learning objectives.  While planning, the company must address its needs by surveying current staff of strengths and weaknesses. The survey will pinpoint aspects of the small business that needs improvement through human resource’s recruiting efforts. The best way to outline learning objectives (or milestones) is by evaluating the staff in each department of the small business. Without an understanding what the small business needs, the recruiting process may become blurred.