Florida two-star cornerback recruit Tyrone Bouie has made a verbal commitment to Minnesota. Bouie is the 24th  verbal commitment for Minnesota. Foxsports has Minnesota’s current class ranked 38th.

Tyrone Bouie Profile
Hometown: Seminole High School (Florida)
Position: Cornerback
Height: 6-0
Weight: 160
40 Time: 4.5 secs
Bench Max: 245
Squat Max: 350
Vertical: 28 inches
GPA: 3.0
Other Offers: Memphis; Middle Tennessee; UCF; UAB; New Mexico; East Carolina

When is the best time to recruit?  Ideally you want to be recruiting when lots of good candidates are available, paying attention and willing to talk to you.  You also want to be recruiting when your competition is NOT actively trying to recruit the same people you are.   So when do you find that ideal combination of events?  

During the December holidays you have fewer employers to compete with, but you also have fewer candidates looking.   That usually makes holidays a ”wash” – you can still recruit, but you have no special advantage.  But there is a time when the odds are definitely in your favor.   

The ”golden recruiting window” is the first three weeks of January. 

On the candidate side:  You have lots of job seekers who took a bit of time off for the holidays.  Perhaps they spent time with family and complained about their job.  Perhaps on a long car trip they reflected on what they really wanted from their careers and concluded their current job did not provide the challenge or stimulation they need.  I’m not exactly sure why it happens, but I do know that every year a huge number of incredibly well qualified people come on the job market in early January.  They make a decision to consider new opportunities.  Some people even make a New Year’s resolution to get a new job.

On the employer side:  Many employers gear up their hiring in January.  Some firms have fresh new annual budget money to spend.  But most managers are swamped in December and put off until January all the nitty gritty tasks like writing a job description, or getting internal approvals signed off.   This administrivia delays the beginning of their recruiting process until late January, and sometimes February. 

That leaves a golden recruiting window in January with lots of motivated candidates who are newly “on the market” - or at least available for a conversation – and very few employers who are talking with them yet. 

So if you want a gorgeous, motivated candidate pool, with relatively little competition from other companies, get your act together in early December, and launch your recruiting initiatives right on January 1.   If you run a fast clean hiring process, you can be making job offers before your competition has even started recruiting.

Here’s an article that has been circulating for a while.   Mr, Viscusi makes some very interesting and relevant points regarding looking and staying youthful.  His book, which I have linked to below, seems to be getting good reviews.  If anyone has read it, please leave a comment for the rest of our readers.

Take 10 Years Off Your Image
Suggestions on how take 10 years off your image and be perceived as more youthful in the office.
March 23, 2009
By Stephen Viscusi
How old an impression do you make when you’re interviewing? Of course, we all know that an interviewer can just count backwards from the year of graduation printed on your resume. However, here is the truth: Perception is the new reality, like 60 is the new 50. So you need to learn the fine art of being perceivedas younger as well as looking younger. It’s more than just the way you look.

Is this fair? Is it even legal? And most importantly, should you give in to such nonsense? I’ll put it this way: If you are over 40, you need to read on.
The recession we’ve all been feeling for months is now official. So now bosses can use that magic “R” word as a blank check to fire almost anyone for any reason. And pay attention, over-40s: The wounded economy is an especially perfect opportunity for higher-ups to fire those senior workers whose high wages and big egos have outlasted their welcome.

For those who are unemployed, you must do whatever it takes to convey to hiring managers that you are employable. What does this mean? No one wants to hire someone who’s stuck in the old-fashioned way of thinking that being qualified, working hard and being loyal to a company is enough. Your Princeton degree and enviable references won’t get you far if you’re that naïve.
So back to the age thing.
While many workers have learned that good looks and a polished appearance go a long way toward success in the workplace, too many of them fail to realize that cultivating the perception of youth and a hip attitude is an equally important part of the equation. It’s no secret that we live in an age-obsessed society. Like it or not, “interviewing younger” is the new catchphrase.
“Interviewing younger” and being perceived as more youthful at the office is a vocabulary, a body language and a look. And here’s a secret: These rules apply even more when your boss is your age or even older. It’s not like you are following these rules to impress a young person. Whatever the age of your boss or interviewer, you need to create a youthful perception about yourself. Otherwise, there’s someone else waiting in the wings with quicker computer skills and contemporary pop-culture knowledge who will be all too happy to fill your shoes.
So how do you do it? Here are some of the secrets in my new book, “Bulletproof Your Job” (HarperCollins) , use them to remind yourself how to hold onto your job while those around you are losing theirs):

Rule #1: Crest Whitestrips.
Yup, this is a shallow, cosmetic-based tip. But I get so many letters from people who just don’t understand that having coffee-stained teeth doesn’t do you any favors in the interview department. Stop rolling your eyes; go buy the strips (use the store brand for all I care – I’m not picky); and whiten those teeth. Then smile. Smiling makes you look and feel younger – not bitter, old and unemployed. I don’t care if you really are bitter, old and unemployed. It’s about perception, remember?

Rule #2: If you are over 40, I want you on Facebook today.
No friends? You already have one: just Facebook me. If you don’t know how to join, let your kids show you, or even better, have a young person at work “reverse mentor” you on how it works. Let that same person help you choose your profile picture. Seriously. Read our coverage on how social networking plays a role in the job search.
Rule #3: Know about and frequently use Google and Wikipedia.
Bookmark them on your computer, and set one as your homepage.
Rule #4: Watch an episode of “Family Guy.”
Discuss. Repeat.
Rule #5: Peruse your local Apple store.
At least learn the difference between an iPod Classic, iPod Touch and iPod Nano and you’re on your way. And buy a set of those identifiable white headphones to keep around, even if you don’t have the iPod to go with them. It’s all about perception.
Rule #6: Do not disclose your SAT scores.
If for some ungodly reason you still remember your SAT scores, keep them to yourself. Not only does no one care, but the scoring isn’t even the same anymore, and you’ll just wind up aging yourself.
Rule #7: Don’t talk about how you’re so addicted to Starbucks.
Or Coffee Bean, or whatever your coffee place of choice is. It seems like this would make you appear younger, but it won’t. Starbucks screams “unemployed loser.” Besides, you should never walk into an interview with a coffee cup, especially since you just whitened those teeth.

Rule #8: Pick up a copy of “Entertainment Weekly” before an interview.
But for God’s sake, don’t take it in with you and don’t let anyone see you reading it. That said, nothing gets you more up to date on the youthful world of pop culture like an issue of EW.
Rule #9: Learn how to text.

Rule #10: Lose the paper.
Young people get their news online – they don’t read newspapers. So don’t carry one into an interview with you or be seen reading it at the office like someone’s mom or dad.

Rule #11: Brush up on sports.
This is easy; you can still get away with talking about Michael Phelps and get credit for this one. Bonus points for knowing who’s in the NCAA tournament.
Rule #12: Make eye contact.
Eye contact is so critical to being perceived as young; don’t be afraid to use it.

Rule #13: Rarely refer to your children.
Never refer to your grandchildren and never ever your great-grandchildren .

Rule #14: Go to the gym.
Or at least say that you do.

Rule #15: Never talk about the ’80s or ’90s.
Never use words from “your day.” Nothing at work is groovy, dy-no-mite, or tubular. Ever.

Rule #16: Get a TiVo or DVR.
Know how they work.

Rule #17: Practice “sounding young” on the phone.
Take a small survey of how old you sound on the phone, and then practice with a friend sounding younger. (A tip: Talk higher and peppier.) This is critical. In the same vein, make sure your outgoing voicemail message isn’t too long or boring. Short and sweet with a positive attitude is all you need.

Rule #18: Dress is very important: always dress age-appropriate.
No 40+ man should be wearing an Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt. For more tips on updating your look without looking too young, review TheLadders’ recent coverage on losing the frump factor.  Take 10 Years Off Your Image
Career Advice from TheLadders

* What Really Counts with Recruiters
* Find Your Brand Harmony
* Handling the Dreaded “You’re Overqualified” Challenge
* Communicating Your Brand Message to Your Target Audience
Rule #19: Give your hairstyle a long, hard look.
No wonder there are so many makeover shows! My advice is to ask an outsider his or her opinion. Someone who loves you won’t want to hurt your feelings or may love your look for sentimental or romantic reasons – but sadly, that won’t help you find a job. A bad coloring job spells disaster for both men and women, and let’s face it, hair weaves for men rarely work. Men, don’t go overboard on finding a new hairstyle – just clip your nose and ear hair and you’re on the right track. Ladies, pluck or bleach facial hair.
Rule #20: Skip the cologne and excessive perfume.
And while we’re on the subject, wear deodorant. You may laugh, but many people just don’t do it.
Okay… Feel any younger, or just berated?
Trust me, I just took 15 years off the way you come across. Yeah, some things I talk about here are cosmetic, but most are not. It’s all about perception … and perception is the new reality.

Remember, It Only Takes ONE,

Matt

letzte woche beim workshop “employer branding für professionals” gab es eine diskussion, wie relevant die unternehmenskultur eigentlich für employer branding ist. entzündet hat sich das ganze am beispiel von google. eine these war, dass google aufgrund seiner starken unternehmenskultur so erfolgreich in verschiedenen arbeitgeber-rankings abschneidet. die antithese dazu war die aussage “google? – das sind doch die mit der rutsche im büro. bauen nach aussen eine spasskultur auf, die innen keiner lebt”. das hat mich nachdenklich gemacht und ich habe mich etwas eingehender mit google als employer brand befasst, quasi im sinne eines reality checks. erstmal wirklich gut finde ich die employer value proposition “life at google”. das sagt schon einiges aus über die art und weise, wie google sich als arbeitgeber versteht. anhand von 4 employer branding kanälen kann man überprüfen, worum es dabei geht. bitte beachten: das ist nur die aussenwahrnehmung. ich kenne google von innen nicht. los geht’s:

1. google karriere website
   minimalistisch, ohne großen firlefanz und auf die relevanten punkte bezogen, kann man hier alles wissenswerte über das leben und arbeiten bei google und den bewerbungsprozess erfahren. im zentrum stehen natürlich die jobs. auf den ersten blick fand ich die google karriere-site etwas zu minimalistisch. auf den zweiten blick nicht mehr, ist quasi eine wundertüte, denn zu allen relevanten themen gibt es videos, testimonials, und sehr klare informationen. und: warum die eigene site vollstopfen, wenn es bei youtube (gehört ja google) und facebook noch viel mehr informationen gibt? – wer bei google arbeiten möchte, sollte  sich mit informationsbeschaffung schließlich auch etwas auskennen  :-)
2. google videokanal auf youtube
   in meinen augen wirklich eindrucksvoll sind die vielen videos zu google. auf dem google videokanal finde ich zu verschiedenen rubriken eine vielzahl von videos, die ständig aktualisiert werden.
   
   für unser thema relevant ist die rubrik “life at google”, wo man sich anhand diverser testimonials direkt einen eindruck vom arbeitgeber google verschaffen kann. da die testimonials sowohl funktional (man findet neben entwicklern auch leute aus people operations oder marketing) als auch global (aus allen möglichen google standorten weltweit) sehr heterogen zusammen gestellt sind, entstand zumindest bei mir eine größere neugier, gleich mehrere videos zu schauen. und das ist employee branding im besten sinne. die mitarbeiter wirken authentisch und echt, sind allesamt klar fans von google und bringen glaubwürdig rüber, dass google in der tat eine einzigartige unternehmenskultur hat. besonders interessant sind neben einzelnen testimonial videos die videos zu einem google büro (siehe auch beispiel unten). so, wie ich die kultur auf basis der videos und texte verstanden habe, stehen bei google die mitarbeiter tatsächlich sehr im fokus, arbeit und spaß sollen sich nicht gegenseitig ausschließen, innovation und freiraum für die entwicklung umsetzung neuer ideen ist gegeben. es geht darum, dass gefühl eines kleinen unternehmens, in dem der/die einzelne zählt, zu vermitteln. und das alles geeint unter dem gemeinsamen ziel, die informationen der welt zu strukturieren und verfügbar zu machen. hört sich klasse an und wird von den testimonials klasse und glaubwürdig rüber gebracht. anbei ein beispiel zur verdeutlichung:
   
3. google fanpage bei facebook
   die google fanpage bei facebook für employer branding “life at google” ist in meinen augen state of the art. viele, viele informationen, fotos, videos – und echter austausch. hier kann man noch eine menge lernen. und die oben angesprochene botschaft wird mittels employee branding bestens rüber gebracht. ich werde mich mit meinem team in nächster zeit intensiv mit dieser site beschäftigen. ich kann jedem nur einen blick auf die fanpage von google empfehlen. toll gemacht.
4. google rekrutierungsprozess
   dass google im internet, per video und auf facebook absolut überzeugt ist vielleicht keine überraschung. ein blick auf den rekrutierungsprozess hebt google aber auch in diesem  kontext sehr deutlich von vielen anderen unternehmen ab. zunächst wird der prozess sehr klar und deutlich erklärt. bestimmte voraussetzungen sind u.a.:
   nur elektronische bewerbungen über das google formular werden akzeptiert: somit dürfte der backend-prozess bei den recruitern erheblich schneller  und systematischer ablaufen. denn: es gibt nur einen rekrutierungskanal. und der wird direkt durch google gesteuert. aus prozess-perspektive sinnvoll.
   es werden keine profile von headhuntern angenommen. damit wird u.a. sicher gestellt, dass sich leute auch wirklich und definitiv bei google bewerben, weil sie dorthin wollen. eine bewerbung macht arbeit – für den bewerber und den recruiter. die vorgehensweise von google führt dazu, dass man sich nicht “einfach mal so” mit einer standardbewerbung bewirbt und dass keine profile von bewerbern über dritte eingesandt werden können, wo nicht klar ist, ob der betreffende bewerber überhaupt zu google will.
   die bewerbung muss in englischer sprache verfasst werden. auch sinnvoll – schließlich ist google ein internationales unternehmen im internet kontext. warum also in deutsch oder französisch bewerben, wenn es intern heterogene teams gibt, in denen vermutlich viel englisch gesprochen wird.
   diese drei beispiele zeigen, dass google sich auch im rekrutierungsprozess deutlich von anderen arbeitgebern abhebt. ich halte das aus den genannten gründen für sehr gut – wenn man sich so etwas leisten kann (und dies können viele andere unternehmen nicht).

mein fazit: von spasskultur bleibt nicht viel übrig, wenn man sich etwas intensiver mit google auseinander setzt. bestimmte punkte wie die rutsche im büro, massagesessel oder guitar hero zur entspannung könnten bei oberflächlicher betrachtung zunächst den “spasskultur-vorwurf” stärken. wenn man sich allerdings intensiver mit dem business und der mission von google beschäftigt (die informationen der welt zu organisieren und verfügbar zu machen) wird klar, dass man für so ein ziel die allerbesten entwickler und mitarbeiter (bitte weibliche form stets mitdenken) benötigt. wenn man so ein unternehmen neu aufbauen würde, wäre es dann nicht die aufgabe, eine unternehmenskultur zu gestalten, die den allerbesten mitarbeitern genug freiraum für die entwicklung kreativer und innovativer lösungen und gedanken zu geben? und wäre es dann nicht sinnvoll, gerade die mitarbeiter zu fürsprechern des unternehmens zu machen? wir wissen alle: gute mitarbeiter ziehen auch weitere gute mitarbeiter an. in meinen augen macht google lupenreines employee branding und ist vielen unternehmen, die im sinne von employer branding agieren, deutlich voraus. employee branding kann aber nur auf basis einer authentischen und echt gelebten unternehmenskultur funktionieren. denn die mitarbeiter werden nur dann zu fürsprechern, wenn sie glaubwürdig fans des eigenen unternehmens sind. die zahlreichen google videos und testimonials belegen das meiner meinung nach auf perfekte art und weise.

weiterlesen:
- zum zusammenhang von unternehmenskultur und employer branding
- der blick von aussen: employer branding bei otto

A real good family hike has become our Black Friday tradition, whether traveling or at home.  This year we were home so we decided to check out Hanging Rock State Park in the North Carolina foothills which is inside of a couple of hours from home for us.  I’ve never been there but have heard that it is a really good place to hike.  So off I went this morning with my wife, our boys (age 5 and 11) and our girls (age 8 and 9).  The park is named for a mountain top area that has a stretch of rock jutting out over nothing, basically hanging there.  The hike up to that little mountain top area is not long, about 1.2 miles, but it is up hill and technical in spots.  My wife and I could see the boys just ahead of us as we hiked up a steep rocky section nearing the top, but the girls had gone too far ahead so we couldn’t see them.  We shouted out for them but they couldn’t hear us.  I told her I’m sure there’s a fence up there so it’s no big deal.  She laughed saying of course there must be, imagine the liability if not.  As we reached the top coming through the trees….

We could see that….

There were no fences.

Standing at the edge of the rock literally took my breath away, in the scary falling nightmare kind of way.  As we hiked back, I couldn’t help but think of what a great example this was of how life is better without fences (I did also wonder if anyone has fallen to their death from that mountain top, but will have to check historical records for that).  In the recruiting business many of us are entrepreneurs and those who aren’t are pretty close to it.  We also work with business owners and managers who run divisions of companies, so our world is one in which people are out on the edge and responsible for our own success or failure.  There’s no net, no fence.  There is no one to blame for failure, but the victories and experiences are greater.  Life is better that way.

Todd Kmiec

todd@toddkmiec.com

Yogi Berra, Hall of Fame baseball manager and renowned practitioner of one line wisdom, was once asked what made a good manager. Yogi is said to have replied, “A good ball club”.

Truer words were never spoken. Whether on the ball field or in the board room, a good team will always make a good manager.

The message for all managers is clear. Your first responsibility is to put a good team together. That means getting the right players, developing your people, giving them the ball and letting them play.

Developing and holding onto good people is one of the most important tasks for the manager of any business. You begin by creating a climate in which people can perform to the best of their ability. That sounds easy enough, but most companies fall short of the mark. While most people would like to perform at 100% of their capacity, few organizations can claim such results. Check the recent record of the New York Yankees if you don’t think climate has a major impact on performance.

Determine where you want your team, your department, or your business to be in the future. Assess what skills, qualities, and attitudes your team will need to be successful. Then start to put the team together that will get you where you want to be.

The major reason people don’t succeed in a job isn’t lack of ability. Skills and ability are fairly easy to quantify and measure. We seldom hire someone who doesn’t have the capability to do the job. When we do, the mistake can be corrected quickly by training or reversing the decision. Skills can be taught easier than attitudes can be changed.

When people don’t succeed it’s often because they don’t fit in. That can be a result of the character of the individual, the climate in the organization, or the blending of the two. Just like in our friend Yogi’s business, sometimes the chemistry is not right on a team. An otherwise good ballplayer just doesn’t fit in and a trade is necessary.

Once you have established a climate for success and identified the type of person within the given skill range that your business needs, you must recruit, attract, and retain your team. There’s good and bad news here. The bad news is that there are no fool proof systems for perfect hiring. The good news is that you can substantial increase your percentages if you are willing to get involved and work at it..

Getting the right people is hard work and it’s too important to delegate. In recognition of this fact, it is becoming increasingly common for the Chief Executives of progressive companies to be active in the hiring process at all levels in the organization. Not too long ago that would have been considered meddling.

Develop people by improving your understanding of what people are seeking for themselves. Determine how their personal objectives can be advanced at your company. If those objectives can be accomplished, show your people how and give them the support and encouragement they need. Harness and enroll their self interest so that it will work for you. Get them to sign on to your program and demonstrate their benefits for doing so.

Your team will develop if they know what they are responsible for and have the authority to meet those responsibilities. People need freedom to grow, to make decisions, and to take responsibility. Authority is the power to create a success.

Develop strategies that will bring out the best in people. Clouded objectives and direction cause confusion that prevents people from bringing their best to bear on the problems at hand.

It is always more expensive to fix things than to do them right the first time. Make sure that you spare no effort when you staff your team. Develop a climate that will bring out the best in all your people.

Attitudes towards work are an important consideration when you are choosing a team. You need to choose individuals whose attitudes and objectives are compatible with the direction of your organization. You must further recognize your responsibility to follow through on the promise and expectations that your players bring to the team.

An observer watched three professional baseball players practicing at spring training camp. The observer asked each of the players what they were doing. The first replied, “my job”. The second replied, “playing baseball”. The third replied, “getting ready for the World Series”. Which player do you want on your team?

If good teams make good managers, there is no more important task for any manager than developing people. Because it’s your business, that means recruiting, training, and retaining the right players.

STATS: Each Negative Social Media Comment Costs 30 Customers.

Research by Convergys Corp. has shown that a negative customer review on YouTube, Twitter or Facebook can cost a company about 30 customers.

Here’s the math:
Each remark/comment would be viewed by an average of 45 people and about two-third of them would avoid the brand that was being criticized (45 x 2/3 = 30 customers).

Source: Bloomberg

We saw how social media has transformed the way we communicate and consume information. Marketing is no longer in a company’s full control. It is now largely dependent on what people say about it; especially with the rise of social media.

You can lose but you can also gain!

30 customers are lost when a company gets a negative comment on social sites. But would a company gain 30 customers if it earns a positive comment instead?

I would probably think so. It just highlights the importance of tracking the social media buzz surrounding your brand.

So what can you do to make sure you are on top of what people are saying about your company on the social media sites. Well aside from searching on each individual social network, a good place to start is by setting up a free and simple tool known as Google Alerts.

Check my previous two article on Google Alerts to learn how it works and also how to easily set up your company with an account.

***Don’t do it yet though, finish this article first then come to the links for the other articles ***

How it works

http://marketing4recruiters.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/who%E2%80%99s-talking-about-you-your-recruitment-agency-online-find-out-for-free-reputation-management-using-google-alerts/

How to set it up

http://marketing4recruiters.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/how-to-%E2%80%93-use-google-alerts-for-online-reputation-management/

Once you’ve got yourself set up on with the google alerts monitoring you’ll start receiving emails about mentions of you and your company online. Start with Google Alerts and then consider searching Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with online mentions of your brand. Look out for future articles from me teaching you how to automate this next phase of online reputation management.

Cheers,

Kohlben Vodden

Marketing4recruiters

Email: Marketing4recruiters@gmail.com

Blog: http://www.marketing4recruiters.wordpress.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/marketing4recs

LinkedIn Group: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2317988&trk=hb_side_g

Facebook Page: http://bit.ly/CH2bz

 I was told at MTSU, a land grant college, that all males were required to take ROTC their first two years.  I endured the parade and training for two weeks until someone told me that  students who transfer in as a Sophomore are not required to take ROTC. 

That was Fall Semester of 1957, long before the Vietnam War, long before our invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan.  I would never question the morality or patriotism of the World War II heroes, and I respect my college peers enrolled in the ROTC program.  My uncertain aversion to the military existed long before I entered the politics of opposition to ill-chosen wars.  There was something about collateral destruction of life and home that was intrinsically incongruous with my Christian upbringing.

  My exemption from ROTC, my college deferment for three years, and six years in the Army Reserve from 1960 to 1966 enabled me to avoid the dreaded draft during the Vietnam War.  I have mixed feelings about an all-volunteer military.  I don’t know if we can sustain a viable military without a draft.  In the combative mood of our political leadership, our citizenry probably would not tolerate a draft.  When a majority of our population believes that the invasion of Iraq was a mistake, the burden of fighting this war falls on volunteer patriots who are deployed to combat a second and third time.

 Without a draft, we are dependent on voluntary enlistments.  We have to convey two important messages.  We have to protect the heroic and noble image of military service, and secondly, we have to financially reward our best and bravest with fair remuneration for choosing a military career. 

 We who openly and loudly oppose specific wars are often accused of disloyalty and disrespect for those who choose to serve.   I was fortunate to have worn the uniform of our Army.  I felt the pain of the country‘s anger over Vietnam from both sides. 

 How then does an aging flower child and veteran see the role of military service at a time when we are fighting another war, with the same mistakes, the same questions, and the same deception at the highest level of government?   God blessed me with three daughters, neither of whom expressed any interest in military service.  I resist frequent temptation to impose my philosophy on grandchildren.  They are bombarded by simulated computer war games, a cannon on every street corner, and monuments and memorials to fallen heroes.  They applaud the glowing skies of Shock and Awe, the arrest and execution of Saddam Hussein, and share our hatred for terrorism and weapons of mass destruction in the hands of rogue nations.

 As a member of the school board, I cannot question student or parental decisions who choose Junior ROTC as a high school course or who meet with on-campus recruiters. 

I wish I could have a table beside the recruiters and tell the students what a future in the military is like.   I realize our children watch television coverage of small Iraqi children lined against the wall of their home as a foreign military knocks down their front door.  They see isolated acts of inhumanity from both sides. They know the statistics on suicides and divorces of our military.  They see husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, being away from small children for multiple deployments, even as Reservists.  They have counted with us as the number of military fatalities grew beyond four-thousand.  They see the loss of limbs and sight and the horror of post-traumatic stress disorder. 

 Those of us who serve on Boards of Education take our role seriously.   One could argue that our responsibility is limited to academics and discipline.  We like to believe that there is more.  Our counselors and advisors are involved in choices of class offerings, graduation rates, college admission, and eventually career choices and quality of life. However, we respect the role of parents, and must painfully remain silent in the most life-changing decisions in the lives of their children.

If you are still one of the holdouts – one of those job seekers that thinks face to face networking or, worse yet, thinks that job boards are the way to find a job – I suggest you take a look at the following blog post.

Here’s an excerpt showing how the big three are growing with professional users:

An overview of key membership and usage statistics of the top three networks…

• LinkedIn: LinkedIn has approximately 50 million users worldwide in 200 countries. The membership on LinkedIn is growing at roughly one new member per second. When LinkedIn launched in 2003, it took 477 days, almost a year and four months to reach the first million members. The last million took only 12 days. Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are LinkedIn members.
• Facebook: Facebook has over 300 million members with 150 million that log in at least once per day. The fastest growing demographic on Facebook are 35 years and older and according to Facebook more than 2 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photos, etc.) are shared across the network, each week.
• Twitter: Twitter has more than 32 million members with the segment of 45-54 year olds being the top demographic and 25-34 year olds following closely behind at second. It has been found in other studies that baby boomers and senior citizens are more likely to join Twitter than their grandchildren.

If you are not exploring these social networks for job seeking purposes, you should be.    Let’s hear some success stories using one of these or the lesser known social media sites!

Remember, It only Takes ONE.

Matt

Fresno State lacrosse coach Sue Behme announced the signings of five high school seniors to National Letters of Intents during the early signing period. The five players that will join the Bulldogs for the 2011 season are Kara Concheck, Lisa Barnaba, Ashley Phillips, Briana Hetherington and Rachel Minarovich.

“This year’s recruiting class will compliment our first recruiting class very well,” Behme said. “Kara, Lisa, Ashley, Briana, and Rachel all bring tremendous athletic ability and experience to the table. Each of these student-athletes have a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and are dedicated to being the best in the classroom and on the field. They are fighters and are willing to work as hard as they can to help us move towards a MPSF Conference Championship.”

Here is a closer look at each person’s accomplishments.

Kara Concheck: Columbus, Ohio /The Wellington School
2009: First-team all-state, first-team all-region, and played for the Great Lakes Region at the 2009 National Tournament. 72 goals in her junior year in lacrosse and has been a four year starter on her basketball team.

Behme on Concheck: “Kara is a great addition to our program. She is fast, athletic, and will have the ability to develop into a great student-athlete here at Fresno State. Kara’s 6′1″ frame will bring the added height we need on the field. She played for Midwestern Force and has experience against the top players in the country.”

Lisa Barnaba: Abington, Maryland / John Carroll School
2009: Played for Mid-Atlantic Team 2 in the National Tournament and has been a four year varsity member of her high school team. In 2008, her high school team was ranked No. 1 in the nation and No. 1 in Maryland. In 2007 and 2008, her school won the IAAM “A” Conference Championship.

Behme on Barnaba: “It is exciting to have another great goalkeeper join our roster. Lisa comes from a national ranked high school team and has been very well coached. She has played with and against amazing lacrosse players. In addition to her high school experience, Lisa played for the NEMS Lacrosse Club in Maryland. I am thrilled that I have the opportunity to personally train Lisa between the pipes.”

Ashley Phillips: Amherst, New Hampshire / Souhegan High School
2009: New Hampshire D1 second-team all-state, 2009 Coaches Award, 2008 D1 State Champions with an undefeated season.

Behme on Phillips: “Ashley is coachable and athletic. She is composed and played from Granite State Elite which meshed well with high school lacrosse program. This has prepared her well for her career at Fresno State. I am excited to see Ashley develop as a student-athlete.”

Briana Hetherington: Mantua, New Jersey / Clearview Regional High School
2009 and 2008 Olympic Conference Second Team. Rookie of the Year as a freshman for her high school team. Briana played for the South Jersey Devils and has played consistently against strong competition.

Behme on Hetherington: “Briana brings a competitive fire and drive to our program. She is versatile and has the ability to develop into a strong player for us. Her energy is contagious.”

Rachel Minarovich: San Diego, California / Westview High School
In 2009, she lead Westview High School in goals and assists, was selected to North County All-League First Team, and All-CIF San Diego Section Second Team. Rachel was selected in 2008 and 2009 to play for the California Region in the National Tournament and in 2009 was selected by her team as a team captain and the Most Valuable Offensive Player.

Behme on Minarovich: “Rachel is aggressive and determined. She is has the drive to excel on and off the field. I am very excited to see Rachel develop here at Fresno State.”

http://www.gobulldogs.com/sports/w-lacros/spec-rel/112409aab.html

I’m currently reading a book called, How to Succeed in Business Using LinkedIn by Eric Butow and Kathleen Taylor.  Here’s an excerpt that I found particularly interesting.  Much of this resonated with me.

David Teten and Scott Allen, in their book The Virtual Handshake: Opening Doors and
Closing Deals Online (AMACOM, 2005), provides some quick ideas on how to increase
your chance of business success using LinkedIn:
• “Answer questions well. Don’t rattle off a quick opinion. Put some
thought into it. Provide some additional resources. Refer people to an appropriate
expert from within your network. Most of the questions on
LinkedIn Answers are from people actually trying to solve a problem or
accomplish something, not just looking for something to talk about.
What better way to be of service than to actually help someone accomplish
something?”
• “Add value to introduction requests. If you buy into the idea that
LinkedIn is designed for ‘trusted referrals,’ then you need to participate in
that. A trusted referral isn’t just, ‘Joe meet Sally, Sally meet Joe.’ A trusted
referral adds context to the introduction that helps the two people get off
to a good start. How do you know this person? How can you recommend
them in the context of their request?”
• “Make good recommendations. Don’t just wait for people to recommend
you and then reciprocate. Be proactive. Go through your network. Who
among them do you feel strongly about that you could give a good recommendation
to for their profile? When you add someone new, do you
know them well enough to go ahead and recommend them? Also, recommendations
on your own profile are a great way to show your own
reputation, and the best way to ask for an endorsement is to give one.
Don’t write empty, generic recommendations.”
• “Respond in a timely manner. Forward introduction requests right away.
As to the rest, get to them as quickly as you can. Allen admits in his book
that he is pretty slow in responding to invitations and to introduction requests
if they are just general ‘I’d like to meet you’ requests because he
Using LinkedIn to Your Advantage 5
places his existing clients, business associates, and family in front of new
networking contacts. But he almost always handles forwarding requests
within 24 hours and 2 days at the most.”
• “Help your contacts learn how to use LinkedIn effectively. Most people
don’t have a clue how to get beyond the basics of a simple profile with
their last couple of jobs and connecting with a few colleagues they keep
up with. Help them! Go through your contacts list and see which people
have less than 10 connections. Send them an e-mail message asking them
if there’s anything you can do to help them make better use of the system.
Doing so not only helps them, it also helps you and all of your network
if more people become actively engaged.”
• “Be proactive. One of LinkedIn’s shortcomings is that it doesn’t have a
mechanism for proactively introducing two people that you know. That
doesn’t mean you can’t use it for that. For example, let’s say you meet
somebody new and they’re looking to meet people with an interest in, say
process management. Now, even though you know your contacts fairly
well, you may not be able to remember (or even know) which of them
have a background in process management, and I’m betting that’s not in
your contact management system either. But it is in LinkedIn. Search your
network. Find the matches. Copy their profile URLs and send them to the
new person you met and then say you’d be happy to make an introduction.
Or say someone needs to a fill a certain position. Search your
LinkedIn network and send them the list of people in your first and second
degree and tell them you’d be glad to introduce the ones they’re interested
in talking to. Great networking is proactive, not just reactive.”
• “Finally, use LinkedIn to enhance face to face meetings. Having a connection
on LinkedIn is a great ice breaker in a conversation as you can
share mutual connections and be able to establish some rapport rather
quickly.”

Do you have any LinkedIn tips that you would recommend?

Remember, It Only Takes ONE!

Matt

I’m one of those goofy type A people who use to be uncomfortable on days off because I couldn’t work, or at least shouldn’t work.  Over the years I have been able to adjust and look at holidays and obligatory trips as times to get away from business and regroup in some way.  I now see those times as productive and thus look forward to them and enjoy them more.  Thanksgiving has it’s productive agenda built in.  It’s a Day Of Gratitude.  I like to change the term because, while I like turkey and football, focusing on the other part is good for all of us.

During difficult times it may be tough to find things that we are truly grateful for.  But the best performers, the most positive people we know are always able to see many things that they are grateful for.  I’m thankful for health and family and for the recruiting business which is an incredible business to be in.  I’m also thankful for challenging times because they mold the industry and my business and make us all better.  I’m really thankful for all the great people I get to work with, both clients and partners in the industry.  There is so much more.  If you’ve never spent a day really focused on all the things you are grateful for, try it.  It’s a great experience and will be an incredible lift for your spirits and outlook.  Spend a full day, Thanksgiving or some other day, focusing on the things you are grateful for and make an effort to keep coming back to those things throughout that day and list all that you can come up with.  It never fails and you’ll be thankful for a Day Of Gratitude.

Todd Kmiec

Todd Kmiec & Associates

todd@toddkmiec.com

1. Ask Personally
2. Develop Strategic Recruiting Partnerships – Build a Network Team of People You Rely On
3. Recruit Short-Term Help – Which Opens the Door to Long-Term, Treat It Like a Date
4. Assume “No” Means, “Not Right Now”
5. Develop Roles and Responsibilities (R&R) For Each Volunteer
6. Recruit Specific People For Specific

Welcome to West Coast Careers’ official blog! It’s been a long time coming, but we’re now officially up and running and could not be more excited about it.  Now is an especially important time for us to reach out to our clients and any visitors to offer up any advice, statistics or serve as an industry resource for those seeking information regarding positions, industry trends, etc.  This is designed to be an open forum to improve the customer experience and provide assistance as best we can, so please let us know how we can make this work for you.

My firm recently started sourcing campaigns where we are going to target a specific type of candidate or technology for a month and try to find as many people as we can.  We have made it into a bit of a contest within the office and have dangled a small carrot at the end of it.  My personal opinion is that this is a good idea however I would caution any firm to stress the focus of the campaign. 

 The primary focus still needs to be recruiting the regular orders.  The sourcing campaign is something that should be done for a small portion of the day or during some downtime.  You would not want your recruiters to stop sourcing their real positions for a sourcing campaign that may not pay any immediate dividends.

 Does anyone else have any ideas or tactics their office uses this way?

Very funny short cartoon film about LinkedIn and how useful it really is.

USE THIS LINK

http://current.com/items/91503521_linked-in-to-what.htm

Cheers,

Kohlben Vodden

Marketing4recruiters

Email: Marketing4recruiters@gmail.com

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